The purpose of this study was to determine whether postmeal walking (breaking up exercise into short bouts after meals) is an effective and feasible alternate to continuous walking for the management of gestational diabetes. Forty-one women with gestational diabetes were randomised between wk 28-30 gestation to either standard-care (30-min continuous exercise) or standard-care with postmeal walking (10-min of walking after breakfast, lunch and dinner). Continuous glucose and activity monitors were worn to measure glycaemic control and adherence during three-days of standard-care (baseline) followed by three-days of postmeal or continuous walking. A linear mixed model analysed the changes from baseline between postmeal and continuous walking, as an average of the three-day periods. Thirty-two women (postmeal walking n=17: control n=15, 33±5 y, body mass index 25±4 kg.m2) completed the trial. Postprandial and overnight glucose concentrations were similar between postmeal walking and control, both interventions improved from baseline. There was no difference in adherence between groups, however postmeal walking completed more minutes of prescribed physical activity across baseline and intervention days compared to the continuous walking standard-care group. Preliminary findings from this proof-of-concept study suggest postmeal walking could be a promising alternative to, and work interchangeably with, traditional advice to perform continuous moderate-intensity physical activity, in women with gestational diabetes. Novelty bullets -Three ten-minute postmeal walks may be comparable to thirty minutes continuous walking for glucose control in women with gestational diabetes - Accumulating activity in short bouts after meals is a feasible alternate to continuous exercise for women with gestational diabetes
Maintaining blood glucose within the target range is the primary treatment goal for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Foods with low glycaemic loads are recommended in clinical practice; however, the relative importance of other key lifestyle variables is unexplored. This pilot study explored the associations of glycaemic load, carbohydrates and physical activity parameters on blood glucose concentrations in free-living women with GDM. Twenty-nine women (28–30 weeks gestation, 34 ± 4 years) with GDM were enrolled. Continuous glucose monitoring, physical activity (ActivPAL inclinometer) and dietary intake and dietary quality were measured concurrently for 3 days. Pearson correlation analyses determined the association between glucose levels and lifestyle variables. Despite all receiving the same nutrition education, only 55% of women were following a low glycaemic load diet with a large range of carbohydrate intakes (97–267 g/day). However, the glycaemic load did not correlate with 3-hr postprandial glucose (r2 = 0.021, p = 0.56) or 24-h glucose iAUC (r2 = 0.021, p = 0.58). A significant relationship between total stepping time and lower 24-h glucose iAUC (r2 = 0.308, p = 0.02) and nocturnal glucose (r2 = 0.224, p = 0.05) was found. In free-living women with diet-controlled GDM, more physical activity, i.e., steps accumulated across the day, may be a simple and effective strategy for improving maternal blood glucose concentrations.
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