New research presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) reveals that effectively managing glycemic levels after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes can significantly reduce the risk of childhood obesity. The findings suggest that children born to mothers who swiftly achieve blood sugar control have obesity rates comparable to those whose mothers did not have gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes, a condition affecting approximately 14% of pregnant women worldwide, is on the rise, particularly among individuals with obesity, a family history of diabetes, or older age. Additionally, race and ethnicity can influence the likelihood of developing this condition.
While gestational diabetes typically resolves after childbirth, it poses various risks for both mothers and their children. Mothers are at a heightened risk of developing diabetes in subsequent years, and their children face increased chances of premature birth, being born with excessive weight for their gestational age, and experiencing neonatal hypoglycemia. Long-term, these children are also more susceptible to cardiometabolic issues, including obesity and diabetes.
Dr. Assiamira Ferrara, the lead researcher and Director of the Center for Upstream Prevention of Adiposity and Diabetes Mellitus at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, emphasized the importance of early glycemic control. “Achieving glycemic control soon after the diagnosis of gestational diabetes and maintaining it throughout pregnancy is associated with reduced rates of perinatal complications,” she stated. Treatments typically involve dietary changes, exercise, and blood-sugar-lowering medications to maintain blood sugar within normal ranges during pregnancy.
Childhood obesity was defined using sex-specific BMI-for-age percentiles from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study found that the prevalence of obesity at ages 2-4 was 15.1% among children of mothers without gestational diabetes, compared to 15.9%, 18.7%, 20.9%, and 24.6% for children of mothers in the stably optimal, rapidly improving, slowly improving to near optimal, and slowly improving to suboptimal groups, respectively.
Further analysis indicated that the risk of childhood obesity increased with maternal blood sugar levels. At ages 2-4, children born to mothers in the stably optimal and rapidly improving groups had obesity risks similar to those of children born to mothers without gestational diabetes. In contrast, children whose mothers fell into the slowly improving to near optimal and slowly improving to suboptimal categories faced 13% and 23% higher risks of obesity, respectively.
By ages 5-7, only children of mothers in the stably optimal group maintained obesity rates akin to those of children whose mothers had normal blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Those in the rapidly improving and slowly improving to near optimal groups exhibited an 18% and 19% increased risk, respectively, while children of mothers in the slowly improving to suboptimal group had a 30% higher risk of childhood obesity.
The study’s authors conclude that prompt glycemic control following a gestational diabetes diagnosis can align the risk of childhood obesity with that of children born to mothers without the condition. Dr. Ferrara emphasized the importance of timely intervention: “When gestational diabetes is not properly managed, this increases the baby’s risk of a high birth weight and may predispose them to obesity.”
She urges women diagnosed with gestational diabetes to adhere to their treatment plans, which typically begin with dietary modifications, physical activity, and glucose monitoring. If blood sugar levels remain elevated beyond two weeks, medication should be initiated as prescribed. “Reducing the risk of obesity is crucial, as it increases the likelihood of developing diabetes and heart disease, conditions that are difficult to reverse once established,” she added.
Related Topics:
-
Pioneering Protocol Reveals Distribution Of NMDA Receptors In Alzheimer’S Brain
-
Prenatal Marijuana Exposure Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Opioid Addiction In The Future
