High blood pressure link to gestational diabetes

A healthy diet could reduce the risk that women with pregnancy-related diabetes will develop high blood pressure later in life, research has concluded.

A recent study, published in the Hypertension journal of the American Heart Association, has suggested that those with gestational diabetes who followed a healthy diet were 20 per cent less likely to develop high blood pressure compared to those who did not maintain a healthy diet.

Lead author Dr Cuilin Zhang, from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Rockville, said: “Our earlier research showed that diabetes in pregnancy increased a woman’s risk of developing hypertension, even 16 years after giving birth.”

Our current study shows that a healthy diet, which has been proven to reduce high blood pressure risk in the general population, appears to be equally effective in reducing the risk in this group of high-risk women

Dr Zhang followed 3,818 women with a history of gestational diabetes who were participating in the Nurses’ Health Study II. The women were followed for over 22 years and completed a questionnaire about their eating habits.

Increased hypertension

The findings also showed an increase in body mass index (BMI) explained around 20-30 per cent of the association between lower healthy dietary pattern scores and increased risk of hypertension.

Dr Zhang said: “Our current study shows that a healthy diet, which has been proven to reduce high blood pressure risk in the general population, appears to be equally effective in reducing the risk in this group of high-risk women.”

Gestational diabetes is a common health problem for pregnant women. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a number of hormones that can prevent insulin from working properly, leading to high blood sugar levels.

Dr Zhang said: “While the majority of these women’s glucose levels will return to normal after delivery, our study should serve as an early warning signal.

He has advised physicians and other healthcare professionals to encourage pregnant women to adopt a healthier diet throughout the nine month pregnancy and after delivery.