GDM or gestational diabetes mellitus is a form of diabetes caused by pregnancy with a consequence of hyperglycemia, which leads to the baby having a disproportionate weight gain and a greater chance that the baby will develop obesity or type 2 diabetes in his life adult as well as mother. Now, a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine has concluded that increased physical activity can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes progressing to type 2 diabetes mellitus or adult diabetes.
To prevent GDM from progressing to phase 2, it is necessary to know the risk factors to try to avoid them. For starters, experts advise that a healthy diet is the best way to reduce danger. But what about regular exercise?
Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study II, a team of American researchers reviewed the cases of 4,554 women with a history of GDM with a follow-up from 1991 to 2007 . Examination of the data regarding their physical activity revealed that 635 women with no exercise or sedentary activity (such as watching TV) developed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
They also investigated the effect of regular physical exercise of moderate intensity (100 minutes a week) in the women who had been the object of the study. Thus, taking a walk of about 100 minutes a week or 50 minutes of intense physical activity weekly was associated with a 9% decrease in the risk of developing T2DM. This percentage increased the more time was spent exercising. Thus, they discovered that 150 minutes per week of moderate physical exercise caused a risk reduction of 47% . In contrast, women who had continued their sedentary lifestyle had increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study authors conclude that “our results indicate that increased physical activity can help reduce the risk of progression from GDM to DM2 . These findings suggest a message of hope to women with a history of GDM even though they are at exceptionally high risk for type 2 diabetes, promoting an active lifestyle can reduce risk.
