A new study conducted by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development suggests that regular consumption of fried foods prior to pregnancy increases one’s risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes observed in a pregnant woman who did not have diabetes prior to pregnancy. Doctors often test for the condition between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to complications such as an extra-large baby, preeclampsia or high blood pressure and hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
Study author Dr. Cuilin Zhang worked with his colleagues in analyzing the data of 21,000 pregnancies recorded in a span of 10 years. During the study period, 850 pregnant women developed gestational diabetes. The participants also completed questionnaires asking them about their diet and lifestyles.
The analysis showed that as the frequency of eating fried foods increases, the risk of developing gestational diabetes increases as well. Eating fried foods one to three times a week raises the risk by 13 percent, 31 percent for those who ate fried foods four to six times a week, and 50 percent for at least seven times a week. The results remained consistent even after considering the body mass index of the women, according to Healthday News.
The risk became even higher when the fried foods were purchased from fast food chains, which researchers often attribute to the use of recycled cooking oil. Dr. Zhang recommended that women who are planning to get pregnant should limit their consumption of fried foods.
However, the team clarified that further study is needed to fully establish a link between fried foods and gestational diabetes.
"This study does not show that eating fried foods is a direct cause of gestational diabetes, but does highlight the link between an overall unhealthy diet and weight gain in the development of the condition," Dr. Richard Elliott from Diabetes UK, who is not part of the study, told the Daily Mail.
Further details of the study were published in the Oct. 12 issue of Diabetologia.
