Women With History of Gestational Diabetes Found to Have Less Inflammatory Diets

New research suggests that women with a history of gestational diabetes show lower levels on dietary inflammatory indices (DII), which measure the inflammatory potential of a diet. This could be attributed to improved diet and health awareness.¹

Woman holding a salad in a bowl | Image credit: vaaseenaa | stock.adobe.com

Women with a history of gestational diabetes have an 8- to 10-fold higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. According to researchers, this risk is highest 3 to 6 years after a pregnancy with gestational diabetes. Additionally, women who require pharmacologic treatment, particularly insulin, to control hyperglycemia during pregnancy are at high risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes.²

Similarly, a more inflammatory diet can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 61%. Western diets, characterized by high-fat dairy products, refined grains, and red and processed meat, are particularly inflammatory in nature. This diet has been associated with higher rates of inflammation and related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.³

Developed in 2004 and updated in 2010, the DII scores foods according to their effect on inflammation and stress within the body based on data from 1943 articles published between 1950 and 2007. The lower the score, the more pro-inflammatory a food is. The algorithm used for DII considers 6 inflammatory biomarkers: CRP, IL-1b, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a.⁴

In the new study findings, published in Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, investigators compared DII in women with and without a history of gestational diabetes and constructed a predictive model for prediabetes risk. The researchers used cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2011 and 2014, and multivariate logistic regression assess DII’s association with prediabetes in women with a history of gestational diabetes.¹

In total, 971 women were included. Individuals with a history of gestational diabetes had lower DII scores [1.62 (0.58, 2.93) vs 2.05 (0.91, 2.93)]. Higher DII scores in women with a history of gestational diabetes were associated with prediabetes, and this association remained significant even after adjusting for confounders. Furthermore, the prediabetes model for gestational diabetes history had strong predictive performance (AUC=88.6%, 95% CI: 79.9-97.4%).¹ 

Based on these findings, the investigators said the lower DII levels among women with a history of gestational diabetes could possibly reflect greater diet and health awareness. Higher DII scores were correlated with increased prediabetes risk, highlighting the crucial role of diet in diabetes risk.¹

Using this information, pharmacists can work with patients and advise them on anti-inflammatory diet choices such as turmeric, fiber, polyphenols (found in coffee, chocolate, grapes, and other foods), beta carotene (found in spinach, kale, cantaloupe, and other foods), magnesium, ginger, garlic, onions, and a variety of vitamins (D, C, E, A, and B6). Additionally, pharmacists can educate patients about pro-inflammatory foods such as red meat, ultra-processed baked goods, deep-fried foods, drinks high in added sugar, and foods containing trans fats.⁴

REFERENCES

1. Xu Y, Yao Z, Lin J, Wei N, Yao L. Dietary inflammatory index as a predictor of prediabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2024;16(1):265. doi:10.186/s13098-024-01486-7

2. Adam S, McIntyre HD, Tsoi KY, et al. Pregnancy as an opportunity to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus: FIGO Best Practice Advice. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023;160 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):56-67. doi:10.1002/ijgo.14537

3. Namazi N, Anjom-Shoae J, Najafi F, et al. Pro-inflammatory diet, cardio-metabolic risk factors and risk of type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional analysis using data from RaNCD cohort study. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. 2023;23(5). doi:10.1186/s12872-022-03023-8

4. Understanding The Dietary Inflammatory Index and Its Uses. Obesity Medicine Association. August 28, 2024. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://obesitymedicine.org/blog/foods-that-aid-in-stress-relief-and-lowering-inflammation/