Healthy Lifestyle and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Healthy Lifestyle and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
In conclusion, our data indicate that adherence to a healthful lifestyle in the period before pregnancy is associated with a substantially lower risk of gestational diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight throughout one's reproductive life would confer the greatest benefit. A healthy diet and regular exercise were associated with a substantial lower risk, independent of their benefit on body weight. Importantly, among both normal weight and overweight/obese women a healthy lifestyle was related to a lower risk. Our findings also highlight the potential benefit of integrating lifestyle counseling into preconception care. Although it is always challenging to change behavior/lifestyle, the time before and during pregnancy could represent an opportunity to change diet and lifestyle as these women might be particularly motivated to adhere to advice to improve pregnancy and/or birth outcomes.
Conclusions
In conclusion, our data indicate that adherence to a healthful lifestyle in the period before pregnancy is associated with a substantially lower risk of gestational diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight throughout one's reproductive life would confer the greatest benefit. A healthy diet and regular exercise were associated with a substantial lower risk, independent of their benefit on body weight. Importantly, among both normal weight and overweight/obese women a healthy lifestyle was related to a lower risk. Our findings also highlight the potential benefit of integrating lifestyle counseling into preconception care. Although it is always challenging to change behavior/lifestyle, the time before and during pregnancy could represent an opportunity to change diet and lifestyle as these women might be particularly motivated to adhere to advice to improve pregnancy and/or birth outcomes.
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