Electronic‐based lifestyle interventions in overweight or obese perinatal women: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Summary Electronic‐based (e‐based) lifestyle interventions provide potential and cost‐effective delivery of remote interventions for overweight and obese perinatal women. To date, no meta‐analysis has reported the efficacy of maternal and neonatal outcomes. Seven electronic databases were searched from inception up to July 13, 2016, including the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus. Among the 1,145 studies retrieved, 14 randomized controlled trials were selected among 17 publications. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to appraise the quality assessment. The meta‐analyses demonstrated a significant result for limiting gestational weight gain, losing postnatal weight in 1–2 months, increasing self‐reported moderate and vigorous physical activity and reducing caloric intake using diet‐related software. Our review shows that an e‐based lifestyle intervention is an acceptable approach. The findings reveal the variability in intervention methods and provide limited conclusive evidence. Thus, future studies should examine the efficacy and essential components as well as the various approaches using optimal portions of in‐person and phone sessions. Further evaluations comparing the effectiveness of different e‐based lifestyle intervention approaches toward activity‐related and diet‐related outcomes are necessary.