Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Jun;100(6):1047-52.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.172890. Epub 2010 Apr 15.

Percentage of gestational diabetes mellitus attributable to overweight and obesity

Shin Y Kim  1 , Lucinda England, Hoyt G Wilson, Connie Bish, Glen A Satten, Patricia Dietz
Affiliations

Percentage of gestational diabetes mellitus attributable to overweight and obesity

Shin Y Kim et al. Am J Public Health. 2010 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: We calculated the percentage of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) attributable to overweight and obesity.

Methods: We analyzed 2004 through 2006 data from 7 states using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System linked to revised 2003 birth certificate information. We used logistic regression to estimate the magnitude of the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and GDM and calculated the percentage of GDM attributable to overweight and obesity.

Results: GDM prevalence rates by BMI category were as follows: underweight (13-18.4 kg/m(2)), 0.7%; normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)), 2.3%; overweight (25-29.9 kg/m(2)), 4.8%; obese (30-34.9 kg/m(2)), 5.5%; and extremely obese (35-64.9 kg/m(2)), 11.5%. Percentages of GDM attributable to overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity were 15.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.6, 22.2), 9.7% (95% CI = 5.2, 14.3), and 21.1% (CI = 15.2, 26.9), respectively. The overall population-attributable fraction was 46.2% (95% CI = 36.1, 56.3).

Conclusions: If all overweight and obese women (BMI of 25 kg/m(2) or above) had a GDM risk equal to that of normal-weight women, nearly half of GDM cases could be prevented. Public health efforts to reduce prepregnancy BMI by promoting physical activity and healthy eating among women of reproductive age should be intensified.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Unweighted probability of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), by mother's prepregnancy body mass index (BMI): Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 7 US states, 2004–2006. Note. BMI is defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists: gestational diabetes. Obstet Gynecol 2001;98(3):525–538 - PubMed
    1. Hunt KJ, Schuller KL. The increasing prevalence of diabetes in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 2007;34(2):173–199 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Casey BM, Lucas MJ, Mcintire DD, Leveno KJ. Pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes compared with the general obstetric population. Obstet Gynecol 1997;90(6):869–873 - PubMed
    1. Xiong X, Saunders LD, Wang FL, Demianczuk NN. Gestational diabetes mellitus: prevalence, risk factors, maternal and infant outcomes. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2001;75(3):221–228 - PubMed
    1. Barahona MJ, Sucunza N, Garcia-Patterson A, et al. Period of gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis and maternal and fetal morbidity. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2005;84(7):622–627 - PubMed