Physical Activity Interventions for Women with Young Children

Women with young children often experience a decline in physical activity owing to time constraints, caregiving demands and shifting priorities. Interventions have sought to address these challenges through tailored strategies that integrate exercise into daily routines, foster social support and leverage digital technologies. Common approaches include pram-walking groups, mobile application-guided home workouts and community-based classes designed to accommodate childcare responsibilities. Behavioural frameworks such as self-regulation and social support models underpin many programmes, emphasising goal-setting, self-monitoring and peer encouragement. Evidence suggests that interventions which combine structured group sessions with flexible home-based options yield the greatest uptake among mothers. Effective programmes also attend to environmental enablers, providing accessible venues, childcare provision or transport subsidies. The global significance of this work lies not only in improving women’s metabolic and mental health but also in modelling active lifestyles for the next generation. Ongoing research is refining the dose, delivery mode and theoretical underpinnings necessary to sustain engagement over the postpartum period and beyond.

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Physical Activity Interventions for Women with Young Children publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in physical activity interventions for women with young children across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

MET-minute: A unit combining metabolic equivalent of task (MET) with time to quantify energy expenditure during physical activity.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA): Activities that raise the heart rate to at least three times resting level, encompassing brisk walking, running or cycling.

Self-reported physical activity: A method of assessment in which participants recall and record their own activity duration and intensity without objective monitoring devices.

Group-based intervention: A structured exercise programme delivered to participants collectively to harness social support and shared motivation.

References

1. Perceived barriers and enablers of physical activity in postpartum women: a qualitative approach. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2016).
2. Increasing Physical Activity in Mothers Using Video Exercise Groups and Exercise Mobile Apps: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2018).
3. Group-based physical activity interventions for postpartum women with children aged 0–5 years old: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. BMC Women's Health (2021).
4. The association between the child’s age and mothers’ physical activity: results from the population-based German National Cohort study. BMC Public Health (2024).
5. The Association between Adult Sport, Fitness, and Recreational Physical Activity and Number and Age of Children Present in the Household: A Secondary Analysis Using NHANES. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
6. Moms in motion: a group-mediated cognitive-behavioral physical activity intervention. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2006).