GDM and Nutrition—Answered and Unanswered Questions—There’s More Work to Do!

Abstract

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the commonest medical pregnancy complication, and a growing problem around the world as the obesity epidemic continues. Ways to prevent GDM are urgently required, the management of GDM still poses many unanswered questions, and the postpartum prevention of the progression of GDM to type 2 diabetes remains a challenge. With GDM, the impact of any intervention on the offspring is always a major concern. Nutritional interventions come to the fore as one of our few levers in reducing the short-term pregnancy risk and long-term cardiometabolic risks to both mother and child. This special issue reports on the relationship between several nutrients and foods and the development and management of GDM, behavioural strategies to enhance lifestyle choices, the issues raised by prior bariatric surgery and ways to screen for GDM. The work identifies further unanswered questions over nutritional strategies to reduce the impact of GDM.