DiGest Follow-up Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The DiGest Follow-up Study: Effect of a reduced calorie diet in pregnancy upon maternal postpartum weight and offspring adiposity
IRAS ID
281062
Contact name
Claire Meek
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
Gestational diabetes affects 35,000 pregnancies annually in the UK, and is associated with obesity in mothers and their children. Despite an urgent need to reduce maternal obesity and prevent childhood adiposity after gestational diabetes, very few studies have assessed dietary intervention in pregnancy upon maternal and offspring weight longer-term.
Observational data suggests that women who avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes, needed less medical intervention during labour and had lower rates of large-for-gestational- age (LGA) babies. Women with reduced weight gain after diagnosis also had better postnatal glucose tolerance. The DiGest Study is testing these hypotheses through a multicentre, randomised controlled trial.
The aim of this follow-up study is to collect data from women and infants for three years after participation the DiGest Study to ascertain whether reduced calorie diet in pregnancy has longer-term benefits upon maternal and offspring weight. Women and their babies will be recruited at the final DiGest study visit (c. 12-13 weeks postpartum).
The follow-up study will involve examining both mother and infant at 12, 24 and 36 months. The primary outcomes for this study are maternal weight and BMI and infant weight and adiposity at these time points. These outcomes will provide an insight into whether weight loss in pregnancy was maintained postpartum, and might demonstrate if the dietary intervention in late pregnancy had an impact on influencing maternal weight, dietary habits and glucose profile long-term. Given the importance of maternal health to infant growth, the study will also assess the effect of maternal weight and health attitudes upon offspring weight outcomes during early life.
The DiGest study is expected to take 4 years with recruitment finishing in late 2022. The follow-up study will last a further 3 years (completion date expected to be late 2025).
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0213
Date of REC Opinion
8 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion