Development, validation, and pilot testing of the physical activity promotion program booklet for women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Physical Activity (PA) promotion is an essential component of the comprehensive management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Even though the literature is available regarding the importance of PA, limited access to reliable sources of information hinders involvement in recommended PA during pregnancy. The present study aims to develop, validate, and pilot test the Physical Activity Promotion Program (PAPP) booklet for women with GDM. The booklet was developed based on the previous literature, validated by seven experts, and administered to 38 participants for 8 weeks. The level of PA was evaluated with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire before and after the intervention. The Scale Content Validity Index of the booklet was 0.98. The Flesch readability ease score and Flesch Kincaid grade level were 62 and 6.9, respectively. The validation scores showed that the booklet is appropriate and the readability score indicated a "standard" description style. There was a significant increase in the level of PA (MD = -320, 95% CI = -360, -250, d = -0.96, p < .001) and reduced Sedentary Behavior (MD = 45, 95% CI = 37.5, 60, d = 1, p < .001) post-intervention. The PAPP booklet was found to be a valid and reliable source of information and improves the level of PA among women with GDM.