China: Pregnant women who had consumed an appropriate quantity of fruits and vegetables throughout their pregnancy are at lower risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), reveals a recent study. However, excess consumption of potatoes, fruit juices and certain fruits (such as grape, melon) was shown to be associated with an increased GDM risk. The study appears in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.
Yun Zhang, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China, and the team conducted the study with an aim to determine the potential association between mid-pregnancy consumption of fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in an observational study
The study included 2987 pregnant women in China. The researchers assessed the consumption of fruit, vegetable and fruit juice during 13–28 of pregnancy using 24 h dietary recall method and food frequency questionnaire. The association between fruit, vegetable and fruit juice consumption (in quartiles) and GDM risks was assessed. The incidences of GDM was compared at various fruit, vegetable and fruit juice consumption using one-Way ANOVA after adjusting for gestational age, family history of diabetes, physical activity, fiber, and meat intake.
Key findings include:
· Among all the 2987 pregnant women, 405 (13.6%) were diagnosed as GDM for the first time.
· There was no association between total fruit and vegetable consumption and GDM.
· Quantity of grape, melon, potatoes and fruit juice consumption were positively associated with the incidence of GDM.
· In contrast, quantity of apple, orange and vegetables other than potatoes were negatively associated with the incidence of GDM.
"Our findings showed that appropriate quantity of fruit and vegetable intakes throughout pregnancy may have a beneficial effect for preventing the development of GDM," wrote the authors. " However, excess consumption of fruits, potatoes and fruit juices is associated with an increased risk of GDM."
Reference:
"Mid-pregnancy consumption of fruit, vegetable and fruit juice and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A correlation study," was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.08.033