Comparison 1. Interventions to prevent excessive weight gain versus standard care or routine care (general population).

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Excessive weight gain	4		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	2	247	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.72 [0.54, 0.95]
1.2 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	152	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.57 [0.23, 1.40]
1.3 Exercise intervention plus dietary intervention versus standard care	1	45	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.23, 1.68]
2 Weight gain (kg)	8		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	3	341	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	−1.39 [−2.48, −0.30]
2.2 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	152	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	−0.75 [−1.98, 0.48]
2.3 Regular supervised exercise versus routine care	1	67	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	−2.0 [−3.26, −0.74]
2.4 Dietary counselling versus standard care (placebo)	1	171	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [−1.53, 1.53]
2.5 Exercise intervention plus dietary intervention versus standard care	2	170	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	−2.03 [−2.99, −1.07]
2.6 Dietary counselling plus probiotics versus standard care (placebo)	1	170	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.20 [−1.22, 1.62]
3 Low weight gain	2		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	2	247	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.33 [0.74, 2.37]
4 Preterm birth	3		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
4.1 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.67 [0.15, 2.93]
4.2 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	2	243	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.75 [0.36, 1.58]
5 Pre-eclampsia	3		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
5.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	2	243	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.34 [0.10, 1.22]
5.2 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.69 [0.55, 13.03]
6 Caesarean delivery	5		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
6.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	3	343	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.78 [0.53, 1.16]
6.2 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.22 [0.82, 1.82]
6.3 Regular supervised exercise versus routine care	1	67	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.68 [0.29, 1.57]
7 Energy intake (kj)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
7.1 Dietary counselling versus standard care (placebo)	1	135	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	−170.00 [−694.76, 350.76]
7.2 Dietary counselling plus probiotics versus standard care (placebo)	1	132	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	104.0 [−421.32, 629.32]
8 Fibre intake (gm)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
8.1 Dietary counselling versus standard care (placebo)	1	135	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.10 [−0.91, 3.11]
8.2 Dietary counselling plus probiotics versus standard care (placebo)	1	132	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.70 [−0.32, 3.72]
9 Physical activity score	2		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
9.1 Exercise intervention plus dietary intervention versus standard care	2	170	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.35, 0.91]
10 Physical activity (reporting 30 min exercise on most days)	1		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
10.1 Interactive diet and exercise video counselling versus routine care	1	287	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.31 [0.92, 1.86]
11 Infant birthweight >4000 gm	4		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
11.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	2	243	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.19 [0.63, 7.60]
11.2 Regular supervised exercise versus routine care	1	67	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.65 [0.12, 3.63]
11.3 Exercise intervention plus dietary intervention versus standard care	1	45	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.44 [0.09, 2.15]
12 Infant birthweight >90th centile	1		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
12.1 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.65 [0.27, 1.56]
13 Infant birthweight <2500 gm	2		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
13.1 Behavioral counselling versus standard care	2	243	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.03 [0.40, 2.63]
14 Infant birthweight <10th centile	1		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
14.1 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.67 [0.29, 1.53]
15 Neonatal hypoglycaemia	1		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
15.1 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.69 [0.28, 25.44]
16 Shoulder dystocia	1		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
16.1 Regular weight measurement versus standard care	1	235	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.90 [0.06, 14.14]
17 Maternal weight retention (kg)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
17.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	1	39	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	−1.80 [−4.95, 1.35]
18 Maternal weight gain above prepregnancy weight at 6 months postpartum	2		Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
18.1 Behavioural counselling versus standard care	1	186	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.67, 0.97]
18.2 Exercise intervention plus dietary intervention versus standard care	1	125	Risk Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.35 [0.19, 0.63]