# Effect of physical activity intervention on insulin resistance and appendicular body composition in gestational diabetes mellitus

## TL;DR

This study shows that an eight-week physical activity program improves insulin resistance and body composition in pregnant women with gestational diabetes.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is demonstrating the effectiveness of a structured physical activity intervention in improving insulin resistance and appendicular body composition in GDM patients.

## Key findings

- An eight-week physical activity intervention significantly reduced insulin resistance in pregnant women with GDM.
- The intervention also decreased fat mass-muscle mass index in upper and lower extremities.
- These results suggest physical activity can improve glycemic control and body composition during pregnancy.

## Abstract

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide, and a further increase is expected in the coming years. One of the common risk factors for GDM is reduced physical activity (PA), leading to impaired glycemic control and increased insulin resistance (IR). Hence, the objective of the study was to determine the effects of PA intervention on IR and appendicular body composition in individuals with GDM. After screening 135 participants, 52 were included based on the selection criteria. The eight-week PA intervention and an educational booklet with information about GDM and PA intervention were administered to the participants. A detailed analysis of the outcome measures was conducted at baseline and postintervention, including Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and appendicular body composition via body impedance analysis. There was a significant decrease in the HOMA-IR value (MD = 0.123, p < 0.05) and upper extremity (MD = 0.4, p < 0.05), and lower extremity (MD = 0.12, p < 0.05) fat mass‒muscle mass index. The eight-week PA intervention effectively improved insulin resistance and the appendicular body composition among pregnant women with GDM.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-35036-0.