Caloric restriction in pregnant diabetic women: a review of maternal obesity, glucose and insulin relationships as investigated at the University of California, San Diego

Abstract

Caloric restriction during pregnancy is contraindicated for women with a normal body mass index (BMI) of 19.8-26 kg/m2. Reduction of caloric intake in obese pregnant normal and diabetic women has been a controversial topic for many years. This paper reviews several clinical studies initiated in 1978 at the University of California, San Diego. One focus of this review concerns modest caloric reduction in obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Metabolic observations of diabetes during pregnancy in the past decade include extensive use of a 400 kcal isocaloric breakfast meal tolerance test to assess maternal glucose:insulin relationships and the degree of insulin resistance in obese pregnant subjects. We have previously reported that maternal hyperinsulinemia with or without maternal hyperglycemia is an important factor in fetal macrosomia. We suggest for obese pregnant diabetic women implementation of nutritional recommendations of the 1990 Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences that advise a lower caloric intake for obese normal pregnant women with BMIs greater than 26. In obese noninsulin-dependent diabetic women and those with GDM, we urge that a large prospective epidemiologic study be undertaken to assess the respective roles of modest maternal caloric restriction and maternal glucose:insulin relationships on neonatal and long-term longitudinal measurements of growth and development of children of diabetic mothers.