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Prepregnancy BMI, gestational diabetes related to metabolic syndrome risk
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The risk for developing metabolic syndrome 7 years postpartum is increased among women with a higher prepregnancy BMI and early gestational diabetes diagnosis, according to findings published in BMJ Open.
Jatta Puhkala, MSc, a PhD student at the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research in Finland, and colleagues evaluated data from a 7-year follow-up of a cluster randomized controlled trial on gestational diabetes prevention on 289 women (mean age, 37.8 years; mean number of deliveries, 2.5) to determine the effect of gestational diabetes risk factors during pregnancy on the development of metabolic syndrome. Participants had previously been divided into four study groups, including intervention with gestational diabetes risk factors (n = 83), usual care with gestational diabetes risk factors (n = 87), early gestational diabetes (n = 51) and healthy controls without gestational diabetes risk factors (n = 68).
The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 19%, but prevalence was highest in the early gestational diabetes group (50%), followed by the intervention and usual-care groups with gestational diabetes risk factors (14% for both) and the healthy control group (7%).
The early gestational diabetes group had an OR for metabolic syndrome of 21 (95% CI, 4.47-98.7) compared with controls and 6 (95% CI, 2.7-13.2) compared with the intervention and usual-care groups. An increased risk for metabolic syndrome was associated with prepregnancy BMI (P < .001), prepregnancy overweight or obesity (P < .001) and gestational diabetes or any sign of glucose intolerance in any previous pregnancy (P < .01).
“Early [gestational diabetes] diagnosis and increased prepregnancy BMI were the strongest risk factors for developing [metabolic syndrome],” the researchers wrote. “Prepregnancy and present overweight or obesity were common among women with [gestational diabetes] risk factors, and especially among those with early [gestational diabetes]. Overweight and obese women and especially those with early [gestational diabetes] should be monitored and counseled for cardiometabolic risk factors after delivery. Prevention of pregnancy-related weight retention, including excessive gestational and postpartum weight gain, is important for the prevention of [metabolic syndrome]. Overweight and obesity among reproductive-aged women is increasing, which represents even a greater challenge in monitoring and managing risk factors for chronic diseases.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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