Linda May

By Brittany R. Allman, Samantha McDonald, Linda May, Amber W. Kinsey and Elisabet Børsheim

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) poses a significant threat to the short- and long-term health of the mother and baby. Pharmacological treatments for GDM do not fully correct the underlying problem of the disease; however, non-pharmacological treatments such as exercise are increasingly recognized as foundational to glycemic management in other populations with disordered glucose regulation, such as non-gravid women with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Much of the research regarding the impact of exercise on glycemic control in T2DM leverages aerobic training as the primary modality; yet research has demonstrated the effectiveness of resistance training on improving glycemic control in T2DM. This chapter will review the rationale for resistance training in the management of GDM using evidence from individuals with T2DM; then the chapter will review available studies on the effectiveness of resistance training on glucose control in women with GDM.

Part of the book: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

By Filip Jevtovic and Linda May

Epigenetic transmission of metabolic disease to an offspring increases their risk for development of metabolic disease later in life. With the increasing rates of obesity in women of child-bearing age it is critical to develop strategies to prevent perpetuating metabolic disease across generations. Maternal exercise during gestation imprints offspring metabolic phenotype, thus increasing their imperviousness to metabolic assaults later in life. In rodent models, maternal exercise before and during gestation leads to enhanced offspring glycemic control, mitochondrial bioenergetics, and lower adiposity, which decreases their risk for development of future metabolic disease. In humans, maternal gestational exercise decreases pregnancy complications and improves maternal and offspring metabolism on both the whole-body and the cellular level. Maternal exercise restores the obesity-induced metabolic derangements, restoring maternal and offspring metabolic phenotype. While unknown, different exercise modalities might have a differential effect, however, evidence remains scarce.

Part of the book: Maternal and Child Health