Relationship between dietary inflammatory index and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

Abstract Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the literature, compiling the available evidence from the last decade to better understand the relationship between the Dietary Inflammatory Index and the risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Methods: A comprehensive search was systematically conducted including cohort and case-control studies, researched from the BVS, PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar platforms with articles published between 2014 and 2024. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool. Results: This review included 10 studies from five countries with participant numbers ranging from 164 to 90,740. In total, four case-control studies found higher DII values in the groups of pregnant women diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus compared to those without the diagnosis. When analyzing the remaining cohort studies, one study showed a higher distribution of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the highest tertile of Dietary Inflammatory Index, and the other (five studies) showed an association between DII and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus risk when using models adjusted for anthropometry, gestational history, and dietary intake. Conclusion: Pregnant women diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus have a diet with more pro-inflammatory characteristics, which increases the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Registry of Systematic Reviews (Prospero): CRD42024573560