Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 10–20% of pregnancies and substantially increases maternal risk of type 2 diabetes and childhood obesity. Yet, modifiable risk factors such as maternal mental health, macronutrient intake, eating and feeding behaviors which contribute to the early programming of infant metabolic health, remain understudied
Methods: PsyNBIOsis is a prospective, longitudinal, observational study following women with and without GDM from 24–34 weeks’ gestation through 8–12 weeks postpartum (Sydney, Australia). Maternal mental health (depression, anxiety), macronutrient intake, breast milk composition (Miris Human Milk Analyzer), and infant body composition (PEA POD) were assessed across three timepoints, alongside infant feeding and sleep behaviour.
Results: Preliminary analyses show that women with GDM, and those reporting psychological distress, diverge more from recommended macronutrient intake than women without such metabolic or mental health issues. Food intake also differs in infant from women with GDM, given preliminary findings showing that GDM was associated with differences in breast milk composition. Finally, behavioral aspects in the mother and the child are associated with differences in fat percentage at 8–12 weeks postpartum.
Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that maternal mental health and metabolic status independently and differentially influence maternal and infant nutritional and early developmental trajectories, supporting the value of integrating psychological assessment into perinatal metabolic care and reinforcing the need for further behavioural and longitudinal analyses.
Dr Leah Gilbert is a Senior Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Fribourg’s Food Research and Innovation Center (FRIC). She obtained her PhD in Life Sciences in Lausanne in 2021 and conducted postdoctoral research in Sydney, Australia. Her research focuses on the mental and metabolic health of mothers and their children. She is the author and co-author of more than 25 scientific articles published in international peer-reviewed journals. Dr Gilbert received a Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoc.Mobility fellowship to conduct her research in Australia. She also shares her clinical expertise by teaching motivational interviewing techniques to specialized nurses in Lausanne.
