Effect of dietary and physical activity behavioral interventions on reducing postpartum weight retention among women with recent gestational diabetes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

Summary Postpartum weight retention (PPWR) increases the risk of long‐term obesity and metabolic disease in women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of dietary and physical activity behavior interventions in reducing PPWR. We systematically searched 13 electronic databases to retrieve articles published in English or Chinese before October 22, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed dietary and/or physical activity behaviors interventions on the outcomes of PPWR among women with recent GDM were included. Twelve studies researched a total of 5672 participants. The meta‐analysis indicated that dietary and physical activity behaviors interventions showed significant effects on the pooled effect size of body weight changes (WMD = −2.19, 95% CIs: −3.39, −0.98 kg), body mass index (WMD = −0.98, 95% CIs: −1.56, −0.39 kg/m 2 ), and waist circumference (WMD = −1.20, 95% CIs: −2.49, 0.08 cm). Furthermore, the intervention group was more likely to achieve weight reduction (OR = 0.76, 95% CIs: 0.67, 0.87) than the control group. Postpartum dietary and physical activity behavior interventions for women with a recent GDM can reduce PPWR, and 1 year postpartum may be a window of opportunity.