Effects of Aerobic Training and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diets on Insulin Response and Resistance in Women with Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is one of the most common diseases in pregnancy with transient effects on fetuses and mothers. The aim of this study was to assess effects of aerobic training and dietary approaches to stop hypertension diets on insulin response and resistance in women with gestational diabetes.

In this quasi-experimental study, 30 obese women with gestational diabetes at 24–28 weeks of gestation with an age range of 30–40 years were selected using random sampling and randomly grouped into three ten-sample groups of dietary approaches to stop hypertension diets, aerobic training, and dietary approaches to stop hypertension diets and aerobic training. In aerobic training group, the eight-week training protocol started at 30% of the stored heart rate for 30 min and finished at 70% of the heart rate for 45 min. For macronutrients, dietary approaches to stop hypertension diets were similar to normal diets but rich in fruits (4–6) unit, vegetables (3–6) unit, whole grains (6–13) unit, low-fat dairy products (2–4) unit and (1) unit of nuts, fats and oils (2–3) unit as well as meats, poultries and fishes (2) unit and contained small quantities of saturated fats with 2400 mg of sodium per day. Blood sampling was carried out to assess biochemical variables after 12 h of fasting at the beginning and end of eight weeks. Fasting blood sugar, 2-h blood sugar and insulin were assessed in fasting blood samples. Data were analyzed using Shapirville test, Leven test, correlated T,  analysis of variance and Bonferroni. Significance levels were reported for the statistical methods when p < 0.05.

Results showed that eight weeks of aerobic training with dietary approaches to stop hypertension  diets decreased fasting blood sugar levels (p = 0.001), 2-h blood sugar (p = 0.001) and insulin resistance (p = 0.02) and increased insulin levels (p = 0.002) in women with gestational diabetes (p < 0.05).

It seems that aerobic training in combination with dietary approaches to stop hypertension diets is effective in improving blood sugar control and blood insulin levels in women with gestational diabetes.