Dietary Management of Gestational Diabetes

NCT ID: NCT03681054

Last Updated: 2025-09-24

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 42 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-12-03
• Study Completion Date: 2027-12-30

Brief Summary

eMOM is a randomized, controlled trial to compare the effects of two different dietary interventions during pregnancy. The comparison is based on tissue glucose content (using continuous glucose monitoring system) in pregnant women and on neonate body composition. The recruited women (n=60) have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus, and are of Caucasian origin. Of the study diets, one is moderately carbohydrate restricted and the other one is high on plant-based protein with an emphasis on healthy Nordic foods. The study has two two-week study periods that are carried out on approximately gestational weeks 24-28 (period I) and 34-36 (period II). Continuous glucose monitoring and other measurements (accelerometer, 3-day food record, gut microbiota, serum lipids, metabolomics, epigenetics etc.) are done during these study periods. At the beginning of the study, before study period I, the participants are randomized to either one of the intervention diets. The first study period consists of a crossover phase in which the participants receive three days' worth of food according to one of the intervention diets (according to the randomization) after which there is a three-day wash-out period. After the wash-out period, the participants receive three days' worth of food according to the other diet. After the first study period, a nutritionist advises the lastly followed intervention diet to the participant and the diet is followed until delivery. To ensure the diet is followed, the participants gets at least three personal face-to-face counseling sessions, phone calls, mobile reminders, recipes and food items. After delivery, the infant's body composition, epigenetic markers of cord blood and placenta, gut microbiome and urine metabolomics are measured.

Conditions

Diabetes, Gestational; Dietary Modification; Glucose Intolerance During Pregnancy; Body Composition; Birth Weight

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Carbohydrate restricted diet

Dietary intervention: moderately carbohydrate restricted diet. Parallel phase starts after study period I and the diet is followed until labor.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Carbohydrate restricted diet

Intervention Type: OTHER

The intervention is implemented by individual face-to-face counseling and mobile-phone counseling by a nutritionist, as well as food bags and recipes suitable for the diet. Targets: fruits and vegetables 500 g/d, fish 2 times/wk, low-fat instead of high-fat meat, red meat ≤ 3 times/wk, low-fat instead of high-fat dairy, high-fibre instead of low-fibre grains, vegetable oils (excluding palm oil and coconut oil) and soft margarine instead of animal fats, moderate reduction of carbohydrates (targets for macronutrients: carbohydrates 40 E%; fat 40 E%; protein 20 E%; dietary fiber 32g, energy intake approximately 2000 kcal/d; protein intake 20 E%; sucrose: \<10 E%; fatty acids: saturated fatty acids \< 10 E%, polyunsaturated fatty acids 5-10 E% and the rest of fat as monounsaturated fatty acids)

Plant-protein based diet

Dietary intervention: plant-protein based diet, en emphasis on healthy Nordic foods. Parallel phase starts after study period I and the diet is followed until labor.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Plant-protein based diet

Intervention Type: OTHER

The intervention is implemented by individual face-to-face counseling and mobile-phone counseling by a nutritionist, as well as food bags and recipes suitable for the diet. Targets: fruits and vegetables 1 kg/d; fish 3/wk; high-fibre grains, mainly rye, oat and barley; plant protein instead of meat protein; low-fat fermented dairy instead of other dairy; rapeseed oil and rapeseed-based margarine instead of other fats; no carbohydrate restriction (targets for macronutrients: carbohydrates 50 E%; fat 30 E%; protein 20 E%; dietary fiber 36g, energy intake approximately 2000 kcal/d; protein intake 20 E%; sucrose: \<10 E%; fatty acids: saturated fatty acids \< 10 E%, polyunsaturated fatty acids 5-10 E% and the rest of fat as monounsaturated fatty acids)

Interventions

Carbohydrate restricted diet

The intervention is implemented by individual face-to-face counseling and mobile-phone counseling by a nutritionist, as well as food bags and recipes suitable for the diet. Targets: fruits and vegetables 500 g/d, fish 2 times/wk, low-fat instead of high-fat meat, red meat ≤ 3 times/wk, low-fat instead of high-fat dairy, high-fibre instead of low-fibre grains, vegetable oils (excluding palm oil and coconut oil) and soft margarine instead of animal fats, moderate reduction of carbohydrates (targets for macronutrients: carbohydrates 40 E%; fat 40 E%; protein 20 E%; dietary fiber 32g, energy intake approximately 2000 kcal/d; protein intake 20 E%; sucrose: \<10 E%; fatty acids: saturated fatty acids \< 10 E%, polyunsaturated fatty acids 5-10 E% and the rest of fat as monounsaturated fatty acids)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Plant-protein based diet

The intervention is implemented by individual face-to-face counseling and mobile-phone counseling by a nutritionist, as well as food bags and recipes suitable for the diet. Targets: fruits and vegetables 1 kg/d; fish 3/wk; high-fibre grains, mainly rye, oat and barley; plant protein instead of meat protein; low-fat fermented dairy instead of other dairy; rapeseed oil and rapeseed-based margarine instead of other fats; no carbohydrate restriction (targets for macronutrients: carbohydrates 50 E%; fat 30 E%; protein 20 E%; dietary fiber 36g, energy intake approximately 2000 kcal/d; protein intake 20 E%; sucrose: \<10 E%; fatty acids: saturated fatty acids \< 10 E%, polyunsaturated fatty acids 5-10 E% and the rest of fat as monounsaturated fatty acids)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Gestational diabetes at enrollment

Exclusion Criteria

• Gestational weeks exceed 28+6
• Multiple pregnancy
• Food allergies or restrictions (other than lactose intolerance)
• Mother's or father's ethnic background other than Caucasian
• Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• Medication which affects glucose metabolism
• Cholesterol medication
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Psychiatric illness which affects participation in the study
• Factors hampering communication (e.g. lack of Finnish skills)

• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Helsinki

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Aalto University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

City of Helsinki

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

UKK Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Helsinki University Central Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Saila Koivusalo

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Seppo Heinonen, prof

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Head of department of obs and gyn/Helsinki University Hospital

Locations

Helsinki university central hospital

Helsinki, , Finland

Countries

Finland

References

Markussen LT, Kivela J, Lindstrom J, Ollikainen M, Kyto M, Heinonen S, Koivusalo S, Meinila J. Glycemic control in women with GDM: insights from a randomized controlled pilot trial on plant-based Nordic healthy diet versus moderately carbohydrate restricted diet. BMC Nutr. 2025 Jan 16;11(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s40795-024-00988-x.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 39815337 (View on PubMed)

Markussen LT, Kivela J, Lindstrom J, Ashrafi RA, Heinonen S, Koivusalo S, Meinila J. Short-term effect of plant-based Nordic diet versus carbohydrate-restricted diet on glucose levels in gestational diabetes - the eMOM pilot study. BMC Nutr. 2023 Jul 14;9(1):87. doi: 10.1186/s40795-023-00744-7.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 37452403 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

HUS/1792/2016_2

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id