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Adoption of a Healthy Lifestyle Following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

  • Prenatal, Neonatal, and Maternal Nutrition (DK Tobias, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) have increased risk of type 2 diabetes and recurrent GDM. There are several established risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes following a pregnancy complicated by GDM. Interventions targeting these risk factors, namely a reduction in body fat, increased physical activity and a healthy diet can substantially reduce type 2 diabetes risk. Nevertheless, observational studies show that most women do not engage in these behaviors even when there is a history of GDM. This paper is a review of lifestyle interventions and a discussion of factors that contribute to adoption of a healthy lifestyle following GDM. Risk perception, psychological well-being, social support, and access to health care were important determinants of a woman’s ability to adhere to a healthy lifestyle post GDM. Future research should focus on testing novel approaches to adopting lifestyle health behaviors that address barriers relevant to women with previous GDM.

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Conflict of Interest

Kesha Baptiste-Roberts, Yvonne Bronner, and Wanda K. Nicholson declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Analysis, School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, 4530 Portage Ave Campus, Ste 212, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD, 21251, USA

    Kesha Baptiste-Roberts

  2. Department of Behavioral Health Science, School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, 4530 Portage Ave Campus, Ste 206, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD, 21251, USA

    Yvonne Bronner

  3. Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Program on Innovative Solutions in Women’s Health University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 3027 Old Clinic Building, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7570, USA

    Wanda K. Nicholson

  4. Diabetes and Obesity Core, Center for Women’s Health Research, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 3027 Old Clinic Building, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7570, USA

    Wanda K. Nicholson

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  1. Kesha Baptiste-Roberts
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  2. Yvonne Bronner
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  3. Wanda K. Nicholson
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Correspondence to Kesha Baptiste-Roberts.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Prenatal, Neonatal, and Maternal Nutrition

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Baptiste-Roberts, K., Bronner, Y. & Nicholson, W.K. Adoption of a Healthy Lifestyle Following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Curr Nutr Rep 4, 259–264 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-015-0135-5

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