Sedentary Behaviors and Risk of Glucose Intolerance in Pregnant Latina Women

Abstract

Studies conducted among non-pregnant populations have suggested that a high level of sedentary behavior is associated with abnormal glucose metabolism. Few studies have investigated this association among pregnant Latina women, a population with higher rates of sedentary behavior and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) as compared to non-Latina white women. PURPOSE: To estimate the association between sedentary behavior and risk of glucose intolerance in pregnancy. METHODS: We utilized data from the Latina GDM Study, a prospective cohort of 1,231 Latina prenatal care patients in Western Massachusetts. Sedentary behavior was assessed by bilingual interviewers using a modified version of the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS) in early (Mean=15 weeks) and mid pregnancy (Mean=28 weeks). Hours spent TV watching, frequency of sitting at work, and participation in sports/exercise activity were categorized in quartiles. Total sedentary activity was calculated as the sum of these three variables with sports/exercise being reverse scored. Abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) was defined as >135 mg/dl on 1 hr oral glucose tolerance test routinely conducted at 24-28 weeks gestation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: A total of 12% (n=119) of participants were classified as having AGT. After adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, age, and history of GDM, low levels of sports/exercise were not associated with AGT in early pregnancy. However, women in the lowest quartile of sports/exercise in mid-pregnancy were at increased risk for AGT (OR=1.9, 95% C.I. 1.0-3.9) as compared to women in the highest quartile. Hours spent TV watching and sitting at work in early and mid pregnancy were not independently associated with risk of AGT. Women in the highest category of total sedentary activity in mid, but not early, pregnancy were at increased risk of AGT (OR=2.4, 95% C.I. 1.1-5.0) as compared to those in the lowest category. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest an association between sedentary activity in mid pregnancy and risk of AGT in this high risk, understudied population.