Evening snacks without increased nighttime caloric intake decrease fasting glucose in pregnant women with...

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Gestational diabetes and pregestational diabetes mellitus (DM) in pregnancy require careful glycemic control.
• Chrononutrition, the study of how food timing affects physiology, is an emerging area in metabolic health.
• Understanding the interplay between eating patterns and glycemic control is crucial for pregnant women with DM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between chrononutrition parameters and glycemic control in pregnant women with pregestational DM.
• To identify specific meal timing and caloric distribution patterns that influence glucose levels throughout pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 117 pregnant women with pregestational DM.
• Assessment of food consumption using 24-hour dietary recalls in the second and third trimesters.
• Analysis of chrononutrition parameters (eating episodes, pattern, mealtimes, caloric intake) and glycemic control markers (fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin).

Main Results:

• Higher nighttime caloric intake (6 p.m. - 5:59 a.m.) correlated with increased fasting glycemia in both trimesters.
• Consuming an evening snack before dinner, without increasing overall nighttime calories, was linked to better glucose control in the second trimester.
• Later breakfast and morning snack timing in the third trimester were associated with lower glycated hemoglobin levels.

Conclusions:

• Chrononutritional factors, including the timing and distribution of caloric intake, significantly influence glycemic control in pregnant women with DM.
• Individualized nutritional guidance should emphasize limiting nighttime energy consumption.
• Recommendations include consuming an evening snack before dinner and optimizing morning meal timing to improve glycemic outcomes.