TOPLINE:

Among women followed up for 6 years postpartum, a Mediterranean diet intervention initiated during early pregnancy was associated with reduced odds of developing metabolic syndrome, whereas high pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational diabetes were associated with increased odds. Furthermore, sustained adherence to the Mediterranean diet and regular physical activity after delivery substantially reduced metabolic risk.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a prospective study using pooled data from three clinical trials to assess whether a Mediterranean‑style dietary intervention initiated in early pregnancy (8-12 gestational weeks) affected the prevalence of metabolic syndrome 6 years postpartum, and how postpartum lifestyle habits predicted or prevented it.
• They analyzed the data of 1715 women with normoglycemia and singleton pregnancy who were assigned to either a Mediterranean diet intervention group (n = 1216; mean age, 33.31 years) or a control group (n = 499; mean age, 32.14 years).
• Gestational diabetes was diagnosed at 24-28 weeks of gestation using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test according to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria.
• Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of at least three of five criteria: waist circumference > 89.5 cm, triglyceride levels ≥ 150 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels < 50 mg/dL, blood pressure ≥ 130/85 mm Hg, and fasting serum glucose levels ≥ 100 mg/dL.
• Anthropometric measurements were collected at 6 years postpartum, pre-pregnancy BMI was calculated using self-reported pre-pregnancy weight together with measured height, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed during pregnancy and 6 years postpartum, and physical activity was assessed with a standardized questionnaire.

TAKEAWAY:

• At 6 years postpartum, the Mediterranean diet intervention group had a significantly lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome than the control group (7.3% vs 10.4%; P = .034).
• The Mediterranean diet intervention was associated with an approximately 60% reduced risk for developing metabolic syndrome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.399; 95% CI, 0.233-0.684).
• Elevated pre-pregnancy BMI (≥ 25; OR, 7.91; 95% CI, 5.41-11.57) and gestational diabetes (OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 2.06-4.26) were identified as the strongest modifiable risk factors for development of metabolic syndrome.
• At 6 years postpartum, women with at least 7.5-point adherence to the Mediterranean diet and sufficient physical activity (≥ 307.5 metabolic equivalent of task minutes per week) had a 62.2% reduced risk for metabolic syndrome (aOR, 0.378; 95% CI, 0.146-0.981).

IN PRACTICE:

“Early nutritional intervention during pregnancy may exert a significant and durable protective effect on maternal metabolic health, reducing the risk of [metabolic syndrome] 6 years postpartum, even among women with initially less favourable metabolic profiles,” the authors wrote.

“Implementing early nutritional interventions alongside sustained healthy behaviours after childbirth may represent an effective strategy to prevent the long-term development of [metabolic syndrome] and mitigate its cardiometabolic consequences in women,” they added.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Bricia López-Plaza, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos, Madrid, Spain. It was published online in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.

LIMITATIONS:

Baseline differences in age, education, and metabolic profile between groups may have influenced outcomes. Lifestyle data during follow-up were self-reported and assessed only at 6 years postpartum. Additionally, residual confounding by unmeasured factors such as genetic predisposition, psychosocial stress, or socioeconomic changes could not be fully excluded.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III/MICINN, Spain, the European Regional Development Fund “A way to build Europe,” and the Fondo de Investigación en Salud, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. The authors declared having no relevant competing interests.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.