The Mobility and Maternity (MaM) Study 1.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The mobility and maternity (MaM) study: testing the relationship between sedentary behaviour and gestational diabetes risk
IRAS ID
196508
Contact name
Janelle Wagnild
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Durham University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 31 days
Research summary
Gestational diabetes affects up to 18% of pregnancies in the UK, putting mothers and their offspring at a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other health issues later on in life. Recent research has found that sedentary behaviour (e.g., sitting, reclining, lying down, driving) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of whether individuals exercise on a regular basis. It is currently unknown whether a similar link exists between prolonged sedentary time and gestational diabetes. Testing this link is the main focus of this study.
This project uses objective measurements and self-reported data in order to quantify the distribution of time spent sedentary and time spent active, particularly during the second trimester of pregnancy when gestational diabetes is typically detected. These data will be analysed alongside medical records during pregnancy in order to determine whether sedentary behaviour predicts gestational diabetes risk and, if so, whether this risk exists independently of physical activity levels. In addition to measuring sedentary behaviour, a secondary aim of this project is to gain insights into the factors that might influence women’s sedentary or active patterns during their pregnancies. It is expected that the combination of this quantitative and qualitative information will help us understand not only if sedentary behaviour increases gestational diabetes risk, but also why women are (or are not) sedentary and how we might approach tailoring future interventions to be as effective as possible.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0355
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion