The Study
Gestational diabetes in women with obesity; an analysis of clinical history and simple clinical/anthropometric measures
This study found that women with obesity who got gestational diabetes tended to be older, had higher blood pressure, and had thicker skinfolds or bigger necks — but it didn’t change anything to test if those things caused the diabetes. It’s like noticing that kids who eat more candy often get cavities — but that doesn’t mean candy alone causes cavities, because maybe they also don’t brush their teeth.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at what makes obese pregnant women more likely to get gestational diabetes — like their age, past diabetes in pregnancy, and body measurements.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 560 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These measurements help spot high-risk women early — even before weight gain — meaning prevention should start before pregnancy, not during.
- 2Older moms: 6% higher risk per year.
- 3Had GDM before? Over 3x more likely.
- 4Higher blood pressure? 34% higher risk per 10 mmHg.
- 5Thicker skinfold on back? 12% higher risk per 5 mm.
- 6Bigger neck? 11% higher risk per cm.
- 7Weight gain during pregnancy? No link.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
PLOS ONE
Year
2022
Authors
S. White, Dharmintra Pasupathy, S. Begum, N. Sattar, S. Nelson, P. Seed, L. Poston
Related Content
Claims (6)
In obese pregnant women, increases in body fat during the second and third trimesters do not correlate with the development of gestational diabetes, suggesting that metabolic changes occur before substantial weight gain.
Pregnant women with obesity who are older have a 6% higher risk of developing gestational diabetes for each year of age, even when accounting for body fat levels.
Women who had gestational diabetes in a prior pregnancy and are obese have more than three times the risk of developing gestational diabetes again.
In obese women, a 10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure during early pregnancy is linked to a 34% higher chance of developing gestational diabetes, even when accounting for body fat and age.
In obese pregnant women, a thicker layer of fat under the skin at the back of the shoulder blade is linked to a 12% higher chance of developing gestational diabetes for every 5 mm increase in thickness, and this measurement is a more precise indicator of metabolic risk than body mass index.
In obese women during early pregnancy, a larger neck circumference is linked to a higher chance of developing gestational diabetes, and this measurement may provide useful metabolic risk information beyond what BMI shows.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.