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NDEP Spreads Word About Gestational Diabetes Risk

Elizabeth Thompson Beckley

With the intention of reaching more mothers and mothers-to-be about the risks of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 2 diabetes, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) on April 25 launched its latest prevention message: "It's Never Too Early to Prevent Diabetes."

The message is the latest outreach effort by the federally sponsored initiative's existing campaign, "Small Steps. Big Rewards. Prevent Type 2 Diabetes."

"Mothers who've had gestational diabetes need to know that they and their children have an increased lifelong risk for developing type 2 diabetes," Deputy Surgeon General Kenneth P. Moritsugu, MD, MPH, said at Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, which delivers prenatal and pediatric care and other health services to the disadvantaged in Washington, D.C.

"The risk doesn't go away," continues Moritsugu. "[But] women should know they can prevent or delay type 2 with small lifestyle changes as outlined in the Small Steps program."

The diabetes prevention campaign targets women with a history of GDM with tips such as:

• Tell future health care providers of any GDM history.
  
• Get tested for diabetes 6–12 weeks after delivery, then every 1–2 years.
  
• Breast-feed if possible—it may lower the child's risk for type 2 diabetes.
  
• Talk to the doctor about any plans to become pregnant again.
  
• Try to reach prepregnancy weight 6–12 months after the baby is born. If weight is still too high, try to lose 5–7% of total body weight over time.
  
• Make healthy food choices such as fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, dry beans, whole grains, and low-fat milk and cheese. Drink water or sugar-free sodas and fruit drinks. Eat small portions.
  
• Be active at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week.
  

Each year, about 7% of all pregnant women in the U.S. develop GDM, which is more common in African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians, as well as obese women and women with a history of diabetes. Women with GDM have a 20–50% risk of developing type 2 diabetes within 5–10 years.

"Health care providers need to get this information to their patients and to people at risk," says Moritsugu.

Footnotes

FYI

For more information about NDEP or to obtain copies of the new "It's Never Too Early to Prevent Diabetes" tip sheets and other "Small Steps. Big Rewards." diabetes prevention materials, visit www.ndep.nih.gov or call 800-438-5383.

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Beckley, E. T. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Beckley, E. T. Social Bookmarking                What's this?