Scientific Study

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) incidence in pregnant women following the Mediterranean diet with additional extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and pistachios. Methods: 560 pregnant patients were enrolled in the present study. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was introduced in both the interventional group (IG) and control group (CG). The females received 40 ml of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) every day along with 25 - 30 gm of roasted pistachios in the interventional group. The incidence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) was recorded along with specific maternal and neonatal outcomes. Materials and methods: The nutritional and MEDAS scores were not statistically different among the groups at baseline, but the difference was statistically significant and higher in IG at 24-28 weeks (p = 0.001) and 36-38 weeks (p = 0.001). GDM was diagnosed in 51(20.4%) females in the Control group and 34 (13.6%) females in the Interventional group. The MedDiet significantly reduced the GDM incidence (p=0.02) after adjusting the confounding factors. Conclusion: The present study depicts that dietary intervention in pregnant women, including MedDiet and increased consumption of EVOO and pistachios, decreased the incidence of GDM. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eprac.2021.08.010