1. Introduction
obesity, GDM, NON-GDM
OBESITY, GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS, NEONATAL HYPOGLYCEMIA, GDM, GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS, HYPERTENSION, DYSLIPIDEMIA
These authors contributed equally to this work.This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of moderate intensity walking on postprandial blood glucose control for pregnant individuals with (GDM) and without gestational diabetes mellitus (NON-GDM). Using a randomized cross-over design, individuals completed 5 days of exercise (three 10-min walks immediately after eating (SHORT), or one 30-min walk (LONG) outside of 1 h after eating). These protocols were preceded and separated by 2-days of habitual exercise (NORMAL). Individuals were instrumented with a continuous glucose monitor, a physical activity monitor for 14-days, and a heart rate monitor during exercise. Participants completed a physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) to indicate their protocol preference. The GDM group had higher fasting, 24-h mean, and daily peak glucose values compared to NON-GDMs across all conditions (effect of group, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) affects 3 to 20% of Canadian pregnancies [In addition to the immediate health risks, GDM has long-term consequences for maternal and fetal health compared to healthy counterparts. For example, women with a history of GDM have been shown to be at a higher risk of obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, with respective risk ratios of 2.4, 7.5, and 2.4 [Front-line therapies in GDM involve daily blood glucose monitoring, dietary modifications regarding carbohydrate intake, pharmacological treatment (most commonly insulin or Metformin), and recommendations for aerobic exercise. Specifically, pregnant individuals with GDM are advised to complete 150 min of moderate-intensity exercise per week [Previous research has demonstrated that the control of postprandial blood glucose values may be central to improving maternal and fetal outcomes in GDM. A study from de Veciana et al. (1995) showed that individuals who self-administered insulin therapy based on postprandial and not pre-prandial blood glucose values delivered babies of lower birth weights, had a lower incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia, and were less likely to have a caesarean section [Lifestyle interventions that aim to improve blood glucose control in GDM have largely comprised changes to the diet with and without exercise. Allehdan et al. (2019) collated data from eight trials that compared the effect of diet plus exercise to the effect of diet-only interventions on postprandial blood glucose [Christie et al. (2022) investigated, for the first time, the effect of three 10-min walks throughout the day after each meal, with 30 min of continuous walking at any time of the day [