Abstract

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes (GDM) is among the most prevalent disorders during pregnancy, affecting the health of mothers and infants. Aim: To explore the relationship between food insecurity and lifestyle among women with GDM. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 120 pregnant women with GDM who were in 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. They referred to gynaecology clinics of Alborz and Kamali Hospitals, Karaj, Iran, in 2017. The samples that had the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Data collection tools included three questionnaires for evaluating Demographic Obstetrics Questionnaires (DOQ), Household Food Security Scale (HFSS) and Lifestyle Questionnaire (LSQ). The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS, version 16.0. p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Most pregnant mothers were food secure or food insecure without hunger. Results indicated that 63.9 of pregnant mothers with GDM who did not have children under 18 years were food secure, while 5.6 were food insecure with moderate hunger. There was a significant relationship between lifestyle and the level of food security in households without children under 18 years (p=0.009). Conclusion: Food insecurity is a risk factor affecting lifestyle. Therefore, planners must focus on reducing food insecurity, especially among pregnant women.