High cola drink intake ups risk of GDM

Consuming cola drinks in high amounts during pregnancy may increase the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), while moderate caffeine intake appears to exert a nonsignificant protective effect, as shown in the Kuopio Birth Cohort (KuBiCo).

KuBiCo comprised 2,214 pregnant women who were followed at the prenatal clinics in outpatient healthcare centres and gave birth in Kuopio University Hospital in Finland. Maternal diet during the first trimester of pregnancy was evaluated using a 160-item food frequency questionnaire. An oral glucose tolerance test according to the Finnish national guidelines mainly between 24 and 28 gestational weeks facilitated GDM diagnosis.

In an age-adjusted model, pregnant women with moderate coffee intake in the first trimester had lower odds of GDM compared with their counterparts who abstained (odds ratio [OR] 0.87, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.76–0.99; p=0.03). However, this association was attenuated in a multi-adjusted model (p=0.11).

Of note, 32.4 percent of the population consumed caffeine over the recommended amount (>200 mg/d). Maternal caffeine intake showed no association with GDM.

Meanwhile, the average consumption of cola drinks was low in KuBiCo, but those whose intake went above the median of 33.3 mL/d had an increased risk of GDM compared with those who had lower intakes in a multivariable model (OR, 1.29, 95 percent CI, 1.02–1.63; p=0.037).

More studies are needed to establish the safe amount of coffee intake during pregnancy, since the recommended caffeine intake was exceeded in almost half of the coffee drinkers, the researchers said.