Does Spousal Support Can Increase the Women's Physical Activity?
Hajar Rezaee, Maryam Amidi Mazaheri
PMID 28409173WHAT IT FOUND
Teaching husbands to encourage their wives raised women's physical activity at follow-up.
The study was small and used self-reported activity, so do not assume this will reduce BMI.
Key findings
01Overall, the share of women classified as physically active rose from 35% before the intervention to 59% after it.
02Three months after husbands were trained, women in the intervention group showed a significant increase in physical activity.
03The overall prevalence of overweight or obesity fell from 44% before the intervention to 40% after it.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small, and the study was semi-experimental rather than a fully controlled trial. Physical activity was measured with a questionnaire rather than an objective activity tool. Undelivered questionnaires were completed by phone by the researcher, and the paper claims no attrition. The study did not measure waist size or other body-fat indices. The intervention was delivered in a specific health-centre programme in Iran, so it may not transfer to other settings.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that training husbands will reliably increase physical activity or reduce BMI in your patients. The study was small. Activity was measured by questionnaire. Undelivered questionnaires were completed by phone by the researcher.