Pregnancy and Early Life: An Opportunity to Address Obesity

Our latest forum “Pregnancy and Early Life: An Opportunity to Address Obesity” took place on 6th April 2022. The forum featured presentations about the definition of obesity, how and why obesity is relevant to the Bump2Baby and Me project, how obesity impacts pregnancy and how the project is addressing health literacy and inclusive language. The event brought together policy and healthcare decision makers, intermediaries and healthcare professionals to discuss the challenges around obesity.

The forum was facilitated by Beta Technology and speakers included:

• Jacqueline Bowman-Busato, Policy Lead, European Association for the Study of Obesity;
• Christy Burden, Consultant Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics, University of Bristol and NIHR Clinical Research Network Lead for Reproductive Health and Childbirth;
• Sharleen O’Reilly, Bump2Baby and Me Project Coordinator and Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Science, University College Dublin;
• Aisling Geraghty, Clinical Health Researcher, University College Dublin;
• Helle Terkildsen Maindal, Professor of Health Promotion at the Department of Public Health, Aarhus University.

A recording of the forum is available below. To register your interest for future forums please contact us.

The Project

Bump2Baby and Me is a five-year project with an innovative approach to help promote maternal and child health. The focus of the project is to undertake a randomised controlled trial to test a novel healthcare intervention during pregnancy and the first year after birth. The intervention includes risk screening for gestational diabetes and a health coaching programme.

The main objective of the project is to contribute to the early prevention of maternal and child diabetes, overweight and obesity and other non-communicable associated diseases, which include hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, cognitive deficits, and behavioural issues.