AHA: Sedentary Behavior, Light-Intensity Exercise Predictive of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

FRIDAY, March 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Sedentary behavior (SED) and light-intensity physical activity (LPA) are the strongest modifiable predictors of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health 2026 Scientific Sessions, held from March 17 to 20 in Boston.Kara Whitaker, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues examined optimal 24-hour behavioral compositions across pregnancy trimesters associated with the lowest risk for HDP in a cohort of 500 pregnant women. Participants were enrolled at <13 weeks of gestation; movement behaviors were quantified in each trimester.The researchers found that 87 (18.6 percent) of the 470 participants with complete data developed HDP (gestational hypertension and preeclampsia). Across all trimesters, SED and LPA were the main predictors of HDP risk. The optimal overlapping daily composition associated with the lowest risk for HDP (7.7 percent) included 6.0 hours of SED, 7.9 hours of LPA, 4.0 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and 10.1 hours of sleep. This represented a 54 and 78 percent risk reduction compared with the median composition (16.9 percent risk) and compared with the worst composition (34.7 percent risk), respectively. Among women with more than 10 hours/day of SED or less than five hours/day of LPA, risk increased exponentially."This doesn't mean exercise isn't beneficial -- rather, that when it comes to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, everyday movement and limiting long periods of sitting may play a bigger role than we previously understood," Whitaker said in a statement.Press ReleaseMore Information.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

AHA: Sedentary Behavior, Light-Intensity Exercise Predictive of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

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