Research: Pregnancy Metabolic syndrome of weight change from pre-pregnancy to 1-5 years post-partum among Chinese women with prior gestational diabetes

Aims Few studies have evaluated the effect of weight change from pre-pregnancy to post-partum with the risk of cardiometabolic diseases among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between weight change from pre-pregnancy to 1–5 years post-partum with metabolic syndrome among Chinese women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study in 1263 women with gestational diabetes mellitus at 1–5 years post-partum. Participants were divided into four groups based on their weight change from pre-pregnancy to 1–5 years post-partum: loss of ≥ 3 kg, 3 kg, gain of 3–7 kg and gain of ≥7 kg. Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 12.1%, 16.2%, 26.0% and 44.3% among women with weight loss ≥ 3 kg, stable weight ( 3 kg), weight gain 3–7 kg and weight gain ≥ 7 kg from pre-pregnancy to post-partum, respectively. The positive association between weight change and metabolic syndrome was observed among women with pre-pregnancy normal weight (BMI < 24 kg/m 2 ), overweight (BMI 24–27.9 kg/m 2 ) and obesity (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m 2 ). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was almost similar among pre-pregnancy normal weight women with weight gain ≥ 7 kg, pre-pregnancy overweight women with stable weight ( 3 kg) and pre-pregnancy obese women with weight loss ≥ 3 kg from pre-pregnancy to post-partum (P = 0.62). Conclusions Women with gestational diabetes mellitus who had large weight gain from pre-pregnancy to post-partum were more likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Women who are pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and also diagnosed as gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy need more weight control after delivery. Diabet. Med. 00, 000–000 (2015)