The incidence of gestational diabetes among pregnant individuals in the United States has been increasing, contributing to the maternal mortality crisis. This rise is associated with higher obesity rates and limited prenatal care access in several communities, prompting a call for systemic interventions.
A new nationwide study involving Northwestern Medicine, Brown University, and California Polytechnic State University seeks to determine if medically tailored meals can help address this growing issue. Funded by a $10 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the five-year study will pair these meals with existing home-visiting programs targeting gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Darius Tandon, professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, noted that "’Food-as-medicine’ approaches are gaining increasing attention," emphasizing this project's pioneering role in evaluating medically tailored meals' impact on managing gestational diabetes.
The U.S. ranks lowest among high-income countries regarding maternal health. GDM significantly contributes to maternal morbidity, particularly among under-resourced populations. Around one-third to nearly half of those diagnosed with GDM during pregnancy develop diabetes or pre-diabetes within a year after childbirth. Intrauterine exposure to GDM also raises risks for rapid infant weight gain and later development of obesity and diabetes.
Dr. Nakela L. Cook, PCORI executive director, stated: “This research study was selected for PCORI funding for its potential to provide real-world data on the comparative clinical effectiveness of different approaches to improve maternal health outcomes.”
The study titled “Healthy Moms/Mamis Saludables: Partnership To Prevent Maternal Diabetes in U.S. Home Visiting Programs” involves families already enrolled in home-visiting programs across every state and territory. Participants will receive specially formulated meals for those at risk of GDM and additional lifestyle change information.
Tandon highlighted that "home visiting is an innovative setting for delivering lifestyle interventions," underscoring its potential nationwide impact if successful.
PCORI's competitive review process selected this study proposal involving patients, caregivers, scientists, and other stakeholders. The award awaits completion of PCORI’s business review before formalization.
Besides Tandon, the research team includes Dr. Jenny Jia from Northwestern; Rena Wing and Stephanie Parade from Brown University; and Suzanne Phelan from California Polytechnic State University.
PCORI is an independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to fund patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research aimed at providing evidence-based information for informed health decisions by patients and clinicians.