Healthy Mediterranean Diet with low persistent organic pollutants reduces Diabetes risk in Pregnant women: Study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasing health concern globally and a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in later life. Children born to women with GDM are also at high risk of developing further complications like abnormal blood cholesterol and blood pressure. Guidelines suggest that an alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED) with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, with moderate amounts of fish and poultry in olive oil, was linked to a reduced risk of GDM. However, persistent organic pollutants are present in increased amounts in these foods, which can increase the risk of GDM. Hence, researchers conducted a study to examine the association between combined aMED and POP exposure with GDM.

Data on aMED score were collected from 1,572 pregnant women using food frequency questionnaires during early pregnancy within the U.S. Fetal Growth Study. The plasma concentrations of 76 POPs, including organochlorine pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, were measured. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate the associations of combined aMED scores and exposure to POPs with GDM risk.

Findings:

• Among 1,572 (3.88%) women with GDM, 61 had a detection rate of 25 POPs out of a total of 53 included POPs.
• Increased POP levels weakened the potential beneficial associations of a high aMED score with GDM risk.
• The lowest GDM risk was observed among women with both high aMED scores and low POP concentrations.
• Specifically, the adjusted log-odds ratios of GDM risk were -0.74 when comparing women with low PCB and high aMED scores with those with low aMED scores and high PCB concentrations.
• There were Inverse associations among women with low aMED scores and high TransNo_chlor, PCB182_187, PCB196_203, PCB199, and PCB206.
• Women who were overweight or obese had more pronounced associations than others.

Thus, the study concluded that pregnant women with a healthy Mediterranean diet and low exposure to POPs had the least risk of GDM. Researchers also suggested future studies to prevent GDM through dietary interventions to account for POP exposure.

Further reading: Guoqi Yu. The Interplay of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Mediterranean Diet in Association With the Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Doi: https://doi.org/10.2337/dc24-1452.