Dietary Guidance for Gestational Diabetes

Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
Updated on August 31, 2024
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The dietary principles for gestational diabetes are consistent with those for non-pregnant diabetes. Firstly, the total daily caloric intake should be balanced, with carbohydrates accounting for 50%-60%, proteins for 15%-20%, and fats for 20%-30%. The overall principle is to eat smaller, more frequent meals, ideally adding two to three snacks to the three main meals per day. Common foods primarily include milk, proteins, egg whites, and fruits. Then, generally maintain the level of diet before pregnancy without overly restricting it. It is advisable to consume a significant amount of vegetables, no less than 500 grams daily, to supplement vitamins and fiber.

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Written by Liang Yin
Endocrinology
1min home-news-image

How is gestational diabetes treated?

The treatment of gestational diabetes includes dietary therapy, exercise therapy, and insulin therapy. For dietary therapy, we mainly control the total calorie intake and supplement with elements such as calcium, iron, folic acid, and various vitamins; in exercise therapy, we aim to control the speed of weight gain, improve the peripheral tissues' utilization of glucose, and improve the lipid profile. For patients whose blood glucose levels do not meet the standards after two weeks of diet and exercise therapy, we initiate insulin therapy. The goal of insulin therapy is to control fasting blood glucose below 5.3 and postprandial blood glucose below 6.7. The methods of insulin therapy include twice daily injections, multiple daily injections, or the use of an insulin pump.

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Written by Zhao Dan
Orthopedics
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What is gestational diabetes?

The group of people who were diagnosed with diabetes before pregnancy is called gestational concurrent diabetes. Those who were not diagnosed with diabetes before pregnancy, but were diagnosed after becoming pregnant, are referred to as having gestational diabetes. Eighty percent of women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, while twenty percent have gestational concurrent diabetes.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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Exercise for Gestational Diabetes

Exercise can increase insulin sensitivity and can lower blood sugar independently of insulin. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes can also exercise appropriately, which is beneficial for the utilization of blood sugar and helps lower it. The exercise for gestational diabetes generally involves regular, rhythmic aerobic exercises, which can include upper body exercises, gymnastics, and previously mentioned activities. The duration of exercise should generally be around 20-30 minutes, and it is advisable to exercise about one hour after meals. The frequency of exercise should be three to five times per week. During exercise, the heart rate should not exceed 120 beats per minute to avoid intense physical activity.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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Can you eat sweet potatoes if you have gestational diabetes?

The overall principle of dietary control for gestational diabetes is to manage the total calorie intake by eating smaller, more frequent meals, dividing the day into five to six meals. This helps not only in controlling blood sugar levels but also reduces the occurrence of hypoglycemia. For patients with gestational diabetes, foods that quickly raise blood sugar, as well as those high in sugar content, starch, and fat, should be limited as these can easily convert into glucose, leading to an increased blood sugar level. Sweet potatoes, which are available in many varieties on the market, some with higher sugar content and some with lower, should be considered accordingly. Those with higher sugar content should ideally be avoided to prevent excessively high blood sugar levels, while those with lower sugar content can still be consumed. However, when eating sweet potatoes, they should be treated as a staple food, and the amount of other staple foods should be reduced accordingly to maintain good control of blood sugar levels.

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Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
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What should I do about gestational diabetes?

As prenatal checkups are becoming increasingly popular, many expectant mothers undergo a glucose tolerance test between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy to diagnose gestational diabetes. More and more expectant mothers are finding their blood sugar levels exceeding the diagnostic thresholds and are being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Most of the time, gestational diabetes in expectant mothers is caused by reduced physical activity and overeating during pregnancy. For such expectant mothers, we can advise them to control their weight, strictly manage their diet, and increase their physical activity to maintain proper blood sugar levels. In fact, only a small portion of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes require insulin injections to control their blood sugar.