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new study shows gestational diabetes may be managed through nutrition therapy

a new study examines the role of nutrition therapy in gestational diabetes, suggesting a significant role for future individual-based diet modifications to manage the condition.

by angelica bottaro
published apr 24, 2024
last updated may 16, 2024
read time 3 minute read
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read time 3 minute read
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eating the right nutrients during pregnancy can lower the risk of gestational diabetes. getty images
a recent study examined the role of nutrition in gestational diabetes and found that simple diet changes may be effective in managing the condition. the study, entitled gestational diabetes mellitus: what can medical nutrition therapy do? published in nutrients, looked at medical nutritional therapy, which uses food and nutrients to regulate metabolic status, and found that while adding or taking away one specific nutrient isn’t likely to make much of an impact, focusing on several nutrients is the key to providing adequate bodily changes that can help reduce the risk of gestational diabetes or help manage it in pregnant individuals.

what is gestational diabetes?

gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. not everyone who becomes pregnant develops it, with roughly one to 30 per cent of pregnant people affected. the condition is diagnosed during pregnancy and is not typically linked to pre-existing insulin resistance or diabetic scores.
the exact cause of gestational diabetes isn’t well understood, but theories surrounding how it develops focus on the placenta producing hormones that cause insulin resistance in pregnant people. when the body does not have adequate levels of insulin or cannot use it to manage blood sugar levels, high blood sugar develops, leading to various health ramifications.

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there are several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that can contribute to high blood sugars. getty

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gestational diabetes and nutrition

what you eat significantly impacts metabolic health, especially in people with diabetes or insulin resistance. during pregnancy, the effects of diet are amplified because, as the popular saying goes, “you’re eating for two.”
people who are pregnant have nutritional needs that differ from those who aren’t, and the study shows that when gestational diabetes is involved, those needs shift once again.
specific vitamins and nutrients, such as folate, b12, vitamin d, iodine, fatty acids, protein, and complex carbohydrates, need to be consumed in varying amounts to meet the needs of both the unborn child and parent and lower or manage high blood sugar levels so they don’t negatively affect health.
for example, vitamin b12 and folate need to be supplemented during pregnancy. however, the recent study suggests that high levels of folate increase the risk of gestational diabetes. because of that, both must be consumed in the right amount.

specific nutrients and their role in gestational diabetes

vitamin b12 and folate are just two examples of the nutrients needed, and in the right amounts, for optimal health during pregnancy. however, the study doesn’t stop there when considering which nutrients are required and why.

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vitamin d, used by the body during pregnancy for fetal bone and brain development, is shown to decrease the chances of someone developing gestational diabetes because of how it affects the body’s ability to produce insulin. with adequate stores of vitamin d, the body is better equipped to create the insulin it needs to regulate blood sugar levels.
iodine, another nutrient examined in the study, aids in the production of thyroid hormones in the body. if a person has too much—or too little—during pregnancy, their risk of developing gestational diabetes increases.
the research also included protein and fatty acids. regarding protein, the study showed that getting enough wasn’t the key to reducing the risk of gestational diabetes or helping to manage blood sugar levels but rather the quality of the protein consumed. plant protein, often considered inferior, was better for reducing gestational diabetes risk.
fatty acids, which play a role in the body to help regulate glucose in the blood, weren’t found to be connected to gestational diabetes with one caveat: the source. animal fat and dietary cholesterol were shown to increase gestational diabetes risk. in contrast, total fat intake didn’t have any bearing on the risk, leading to the conclusion that plant fat is a better source for those with gestational diabetes.
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simple carbohydrates and eating carbohydrates in excess can be especially harmful regardless of whether one is pregnant. however, the study found that limiting intake can help reduce glucose intolerance in pregnant people, leading to better blood sugar management and a reduced risk of gestational diabetes. that said, the quality of the carbohydrates also plays a role. complex carbohydrates and those with high levels of dietary fibre were found to be best.

future directions for gestational diabetes management

the study used various data sources to connect gestational diabetes with food and nutrient intake, and the results showed what is already accepted in the nutritional community: what you eat plays a significant role in your metabolic health, especially during pregnancy.
people who are pregnant, then, should pull focus to diet to ensure that they are eating what they need, the unborn child needs, and enough of it. the research will continue to explore the relationships between nutrition to establish more individual-based therapies regarding metabolic health during pregnancy and beyond.
angelica bottaro
angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

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