Eating Habits and Food Consumption among Pregnant Women with and without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ...

Background and objectives: GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus) is a growing epidemic that affects pregnant women and their offspring. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is the first line of gestational diabetes mellitus management. The study aimed to compare eating habits and food consumption in women with and without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire distributed over 85 pregnant women with the gestational diabetes mellitus and 85 pregnant women without gestational diabetes mellitus visiting Maternity Teaching Hospital at 24 to 40 weeks of gestation from April 1st 2022 to September 1st 2022. With the participants' verbal informal consent, basic data and anthropometric measures were collected. Result: the result showed that the mean age for the gestational diabetes mellitus group was 34.8 5.19 vs. 30.89 5.93 for non-gestational diabetes mellitus group. In terms of medical, obstetric history and anthropometric shows that the following variables (Family history of diabetes, family history of gestational diabetes mellitus, history of gestational diabetes mellitus, para, gravida, pre pregnancy BMI, Hb) there was a statistically significant association between both groups, according to this study only there are significant association between both groups in these food items ((fruit fresh juice, sweetened soft drink, beef, egg, bread, pasta, rice, potato, yogurt, fruit and vegetables, adding sugar, chocolate, pastries and cake, ice cream).Conclusions: there was a statistically significant association between both groups of study regarding eating habit and food consumption. This study will assist in increasing awareness about healthy and balanced nutrition throughout pregnancy, as well as define special nutritional tips for pregnant women.