A lifestyle intervention modeled after the Diabetes Prevention Program moderately reduced postpartum weight retention and increased vigorous-intensity physical activity in a cluster randomized controlled trial of 2,280 women with gestational diabetes.

Investigators randomized participants to intervention (mailed gestational weight gain recommendations plus 13 telephone sessions between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum) or usual care.

Among the results:

• Those receiving the intervention were 1.28 times more likely to meet weight goals than those under usual care.

• At 6 weeks, 25.5% of those in the intervention group met weight goals, vs 22.2% of those receiving usual care. This became 30.6% and 23.9% at 6 months.

• At 6 months, those in the intervention group retained an average of 0.39 kg of weight, vs 0.95 kg in the usual care contingent.

• Those receiving the intervention had greater increases in vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Citation: Ferrara A, Hedderson M, Brown S, et al. The comparative effectiveness of diabetes prevention strategies to reduce postpartum weight retention in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: The Gestational Diabetes’ Effects on Moms (GEM) cluster randomized controlled trial. [Published online ahead of print December 9, 2015]. Diabetes Care. doi:10.2337/dc15-1254.