Abstract

Six to ten years following gestational diabetes, we looked for self-reported activity and objectively measured fitness factors connected to glucose tolerance and metabolic health.

Methods: Six and ten years following GDM, women completed oral glucose tolerance tests, assessments of their body composition, and lifestyle questionnaires. A selection of subjects underwent tests to measure their maximum isometric strength, peak oxygen absorption, and fat oxidation. Women had type 2 diabetes or poor glucose metabolism. In the T2D group, VO2peak and muscle strength were the lowest. In a regression analysis, VO2peak and all strength measurements were correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and negatively with HbA1c and waist-hip ratio. Only muscle mass, however, was related to fasting and glucose area-under-the-curve. Only muscle was considered for changes between the 6- and 10-year follow-ups. Strength was linked to changes in HbA1c, but VO2peak and strength were both linked to changes in high-density lipoprotein levels and the waist-hip ratio. Peak fat oxidation and self-reported physical activity did not significantly or only sporadically correlate with glycemic factors.

Conclusion: Glycemic and other metabolic outcomes in a high-risk group after GDM were significantly correlated with objectively assessed fitness characteristics, notably muscle strength.