Share on PinterestA recent study suggests that people who have had gestational diabetes can reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes with healthy lifestyle practices. Jovo Jovanovic/StocksyGestational diabetes is diabetes that develops during pregnancy. People who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.A recent study shows that for women who have had gestational diabetes, adopting certain lifestyle practices is associated with a 90% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The results held even among women who were obese or had a higher genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Pregnancy can bring with it a number of unique challenges and health issues.
Pregnant women and their fetuses require various forms of monitoring during pregnancy to ensure healthy pregnancies and deliveries. One condition that women are monitored for is gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. People who have gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
A recent study published in the BMJ looked at modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes among women with a history of gestational diabetes.
The researchers found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes decreased in women who adopted certain healthy lifestyle practices.
This risk assessment held even among women who were obese or had a higher genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that develops explicitly during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can be caused by existing insulin resistance and increased insulin resistance related to hormonal changes and fat gain during pregnancy.
About 6-9% of women develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Doctors in the US may recommend testing for gestational diabetes around 6 months of pregnancy because this is when gestational diabetes is most likely to develop.
After the pregnancy ends, blood sugar levels usually return to a healthy range. However, for those who have had gestational diabetes, there is an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Dr. Wiyatta Freeman, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist at UT Physicians Women’s Center and Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital in Houston, Texas, who was not involved in the study, told MNT that a history of gestational diabetes “predicts an increased risk of developing diabetes type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and even type 1 diabetes.”
Therefore, people who have had gestational diabetes should schedule regular follow-ups with their doctor to watch for the development of type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Dr. Kay Lovig, an endocrinologist at White Plains Hospital Physicians Associates in New York, who was not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today:
“Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. During pregnancy, hormones produced by the placenta cause insulin resistance in everyone. Insulin resistance means that your body doesn’t respond as efficiently to the insulin it’s making to have a normal blood sugar level… People who develop gestational diabetes have increased insulin resistance compared to someone who does not develop gestational diabetes. Therefore, those who experience gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, which is also a result of insulin resistance.”
Researchers are still looking for the best way to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes among people who have had gestational diabetes.
This particular study looked at five modifiable risk factors among women who had a history of gestational diabetes:
not being overweight or obese eating a high-quality diet exercising regularly drinking moderate amounts of alcohol not smoking
The study included more than 4,000 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study II. The researchers followed the participants for an average of nearly 28 years. During this follow-up period, 924 participants developed type 2 diabetes.
They found that participants with optimal levels in all five categories had more than a 90% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
They found that “each additional optimal modifiable factor was associated with a decreasing risk of type 2 diabetes.”
The risk association held, even among women who were overweight or obese or had a higher genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Sherry Roberts, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, who was not involved in the research, shared her thoughts on the study with MNT:
“I feel the study was well done and comprehensive as it followed nurses with gestational diabetes for almost 28 years. He examined the modifiable risk factors of not being overweight or obese, a high-quality diet, regular exercise, moderate alcohol consumption, and not smoking. The overall results indicate that women who were able to maintain optimal levels of the modifications have a lower risk of developing diabetes. The clinical implications of this study provide additional support for the importance of maintaining healthy habits to prevent type 2 diabetes. It also demonstrates the importance of offering prevention programs and support to those trying to prevent type 2 diabetes.”
The study had some limitations. For example, it was an observational study, so the results cannot determine the cause. The researchers relied on participants’ self-report, which increased some risk of error.
The authors excluded nonwhite participants who were likely to be of mostly European ancestry, which may limit the applicability of the data to other ethnic groups. It also indicates the need for more diverse cohorts for longitudinal studies in the future.
The study also looked specifically at leisure-based physical activity. The researchers note that more data could look at how other physical activities, such as work-related activity, could be further investigated in the future.
They also had no data on the severity of the participants’ gestational diabetes or their baseline blood sugar control.
Finally, depending on data collection methods and participants, the full benefit of these healthy lifestyle choices may be underestimated. Overall, the results demonstrate the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, particularly among those at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Roberts noted the following areas for further investigation:
“Further research should be done for women with gestational diabetes who have no history of medical care and are part of the general population. Similar research should also be done in children born to mothers with gestational diabetes.”
Source: news.google.com