Couples Share High Cardiometabolic Risk After Gestational Diabetes, Study Reveals
Denmark: Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) often share significant cardiometabolic health risks with their partners, highlighting an opportunity for couple-based preventive strategies, according to a recent study published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
The research led by Majken Lillholm Pico, MSc, from the Department of Prevention, Health Promotion and Community Care at Copenhagen University Hospital – Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, assessed 196 couples 12 weeks after a GDM-affected pregnancy. Health examinations and questionnaires evaluated overweight or obesity, waist circumference, metabolic syndrome, impaired fasting glucose, stage 1 or higher hypertension, as well as dietary quality and physical activity.
The study led to the following findings:
- Overweight or obesity was observed in 63.3% of women and 71.9% of partners, with 50.5% of couples sharing this condition.
- High waist circumference was recorded in 78.6% of women and 55.1% of partners, with concordance in 48.5% of couples.
- Metabolic syndrome was found in 9.2% of women and 24.0% of partners, with 5.1% of couples affected together.
- Impaired fasting glucose affected 7.7% of women and 9.2% of partners, with both partners affected in 1.5% of couples.
- Stage 1 or higher hypertension occurred in 31.1% of women and 55.6% of partners, with 8.2% of couples having concordant cases.
- Having a cardiometabolic condition in one partner was linked to a higher likelihood of the same condition in the other, independent of demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors, except for male partners with stage 1 hypertension, where adjustments explained the association.
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