Weight change and cardiometabolic outcomes in postpartum women with history of gestational diabetes

Weight gain after childbirth is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) development after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The level of weight loss achieved in diabetes prevention programs for women after GDM is often low but its effects on the cardiometabolic risk are not known. In a secondary analysis of a diabetes prevention program in postpartum women with history of gestational diabetes, we evaluated the effect of weight change on the cardiometabolic outcomes at 1-year follow-up. Of the 284 women randomized to the intervention arm, 206 with the final outcome measurements were included in the analyses. Participants were categorized into weight loss (>2 kg, n = 74), weight stable (±2 kg, n = 74) or weight gain (>2 kg, n = 58) groups. The weight loss group had significantly greater decrease in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) than the weight gain group (-0.1 + 0.4% vs. 0 + 0.4%, p = 0.049). The weight loss group had significantly greater decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol cholesterol than the other two groups (p < 0.05). The weight gain group had significantly greater increase in triglyceride and triglyceride:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio compare with the other groups (p < 0.01). Overall, a small amount of weight loss and prevention of further weight gain was beneficial to the cardiometabolic outcomes of postpartum women after GDM.