Gestational Diabetes - Potato Risk?

Potato-rich diet “may increase pregnancy diabetes risk”, say US researchers.

21:41 14 January 2016

A study conducted by US researchers reveals potato-rich diet may increase a woman’s risk of diabetes during pregnancy. However, UK experts said that the study, which tracked more than 21,000 pregnancies, lacks proofs and that people need to eat more starchy foods for fibre.

 

Cuilin Zhang, lead study author, from the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, US, said the findings were important.

 

"Gestational diabetes can mean women develop pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and hypertension," she said.

 

"This can adversely affect the foetus, and in the long term the mother may be at high risk of type-2 diabetes."

 

Meanwhile, Dr Emily Burns, of Diabetes UK, reacted to the result of the study by saying: "This study does not prove that eating potatoes before pregnancy will increase a woman's risk developing gestational diabetes, but it does highlight a potential association between the two.

 

"However, as the researchers acknowledge, these results need to be investigated in a controlled trial setting before we can know more.

 

"What we do know is that women can significantly reduce their risk of developing gestational diabetes by managing their weight through eating a healthy, balanced diet and keeping active."