Timing of eating and glycemic control during pregnancy: A systematic review

Glycemic dysregulation during pregnancy is common and increases risk of adverse birth outcomes and future chronic disease. Timing of eating is known to influence glycemic control but has not been thoroughly examined in the context of pregnancy. We systematically reviewed the literature assessing timing of eating and glycemic outcomes during pregnancy.

PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched for studies published before March 2024. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered the review with PROSPERO (CRD42024574992). Eligible studies were interventional or observational and collected quantitative data on the association of timing of eating with glycemic outcomes in pregnant persons with or without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). 1804 articles were evaluated for inclusion, of which 14 articles met criteria (from 5 interventional and 8 observational studies).

Timing of eating was associated with glycemic outcomes independent of GDM status; later timing and a shorter overnight fasting duration were associated with poorer glycemic control. Timing considerations may be a valuable addition to recommendations for glycemia management during pregnancy.