Last updated September 4, 2026
Key finding
Daily dietary intake of calories decreased by 120 kcal.
A 12-week lifestyle intervention in early pregnancy reduced the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by 41% among high-risk women in the UAE.
Quick read
The essential study design details in one scan.
EvidenceScore™
Moderate
Study type
RCTs
Follow-up
Extended (5–20+ y)
Risk of bias
Some Concerns
Save research, organize studies, and quickly find important evidence again.
Plain-language summary
A plain-language read of the study’s main message and where it applies.
Study focus
A 12-week lifestyle intervention in early pregnancy reduced the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by 41% among high-risk women in the UAE.
Gestational diabetes can lead to serious health complications for both mothers and infants. By demonstrating that a structured lifestyle intervention can significantly reduce the incidence of GDM, this study highlights an effective preventive strategy that could improve maternal and fetal health outcomes in high-risk populations.
The study's population was limited to high-risk pregnant women in the UAE, which may affect generalizability. Results may not apply to women outside the early pregnancy period. The study did not find significant differences in some metabolic outcomes, including fasting plasma glucose.
Published in
Publication details and source links for this paper.
Amena S, Vidya J, Ghida S, Rama A, Yohannes T. A 12-week moderate intensity lifestyle intervention in early pregnancy could reduce the relative risk of GDM by 41% among high-risk pregnant women in the UAE. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2022;22:668. doi:10.1186/s12884-022-04972-w
The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus was 33.3% in the lifestyle intervention group compared to 57.5% in the usual care group.
Daily dietary intake of calories decreased by 120 kcal in the intervention group.
Physical activity time increased by 52 minutes in the lifestyle intervention group.
Evidence network
Understand where this research contributes within the broader evidence network.
This study contributes evidence to Complex lifestyle intervention and Blood glucose, Caesarean section rate, Daily dietary intake of carbohydrates, and 9 more.
This study contributes evidence to
Primary intervention
Complex lifestyle intervention
Primary outcomes
Primary intervention
Intervention and outcome relationships this study adds to the evidence network.
Editorial context
See why this paper is useful beyond its individual results.
Evidence network role
This section describes how the study fits into the current evidence network. It does not determine whether an intervention works on its own.
9
Related topics
12
Evidence pairs
1739
Related studies
Evidence topic
Contributes evidence
Evidence topic
Contributes evidence
Evidence topic
Contributes evidence
Evidence topic
Contributes evidence
Save studies and evidence pages, organize your personal Evidence Tracker, and keep the research you care about in one place.
Primary evidence
Evidence relationship
Related evidence
Evidence relationship
Save evidence
Evidence relationship
Save evidence
Core evidence
The primary outcomes reported in this study.
Complex lifestyle intervention → Blood glucose
Complex lifestyle intervention → Blood glucose
Complex lifestyle intervention → Caesarean section rate
Complex lifestyle intervention → Caesarean section rate
Complex lifestyle intervention → Daily dietary intake of carbohydrates
Complex lifestyle intervention → Daily dietary intake of carbohydrates
Complex lifestyle intervention → Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
Complex lifestyle intervention → Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
Complex lifestyle intervention → Gestational age at delivery (weeks)
Complex lifestyle intervention → Gestational age at delivery (weeks)
Complex lifestyle intervention → Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence
Complex lifestyle intervention → Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence
Complex lifestyle intervention → Gestational weight gain
Complex lifestyle intervention → Gestational weight gain
Complex lifestyle intervention → Neonatal birth weight
Complex lifestyle intervention → Neonatal birth weight
Complex lifestyle intervention → Physical activity level (MET-minutes per week)
Complex lifestyle intervention → Physical activity level (MET-minutes per week)
Complex lifestyle intervention → Postprandial blood glucose
Complex lifestyle intervention → Postprandial blood glucose
Complex lifestyle intervention → Total daily caloric intake
Complex lifestyle intervention → Total daily caloric intake
Evidence Library
Save research, organize studies, and quickly find important evidence again.
Evidence Library
Save research, organize studies, and quickly find important evidence again.
Explore related studies, evidence collections, and research questions.
Relationships organized using the Dediabetes Evidence Intelligence™ framework.
This study contributes to evidence on Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs and Fasting Glucose, Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs and Gestational age at delivery (weeks).
This study contributes to the evidence on the following intervention-outcome relationships.
Behavioral & Lifestyle
Behavioral & Lifestyle
Behavioral & Lifestyle
Curated evidence collections and hubs this study is part of.
All studies on Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs
Contributes to Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs evidence base.
All studies measuring Fasting Glucose
Measures Fasting Glucose as a key outcome.
All studies measuring Gestational age at delivery (weeks)
Measures Gestational age at delivery (weeks) as a key outcome.
All studies measuring Neonatal birth weight
Measures Neonatal birth weight as a key outcome.
Jump to pre-filtered views in Evidence Explorer.
2 results
2 results
2 results
2 results
2 results
Generated from the study's connected evidence using Evidence Intelligence™.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs may improve fasting glucose.
ConsistencyScore™: Results are mixed and should be interpreted cautiously.
Ranked evidence signals
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
EvidenceScore™ Moderate | EvidenceScore™ 69.0 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Mixed | 1 study
Blood glucose
EvidenceScore™ Emerging | EvidenceScore™ 59.0 | neutral | ConsistencyScore™ Unclear | 1 study
Why this answer: This answer is cautious because the available studies report mixed findings.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs may improve physical activity levels.
ConsistencyScore™: Results are mixed and should be interpreted cautiously.
Ranked evidence signals
Physical activity level (MET-minutes per week)
EvidenceScore™ Moderate | EvidenceScore™ 69.0 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Consistent | 1 study
Why this answer: This answer is cautious because the available studies report mixed findings.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs appear to affect body weight.
ConsistencyScore™: Results are consistent across studies.
Ranked evidence signals
Gestational weight gain
EvidenceScore™ Emerging | EvidenceScore™ 59.0 | neutral | ConsistencyScore™ Unclear | 1 study
Why this answer: This answer is based on 14 supporting studies with consistent results and a positive effect signal.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs may reduce diabetes incidence and prevention.
ConsistencyScore™: Results are consistent across studies.
Ranked evidence signals
Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence
EvidenceScore™ Emerging | EvidenceScore™ 59.0 | strong positive | ConsistencyScore™ Unclear | 1 study
Why this answer: This answer is based on 5 supporting studies with consistent results and a positive effect signal.
Next steps
Choose a next path through related evidence topics, Evidence Explorer views, and research summaries.
Follow the topics this study contributes to.
Open broader Evidence Explorer views for this relationship.
Read related research summaries.
Focused on evidence, not advertising.
Your data is always protected.
New studies added every day.
