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Effect of Intensive Nutrition Training, Education, and Support Versus Standard Care in Reducing the Need for Insulin Therapy in Gestational Diabetes (INTENSE-GDM): A Randomised Controlled Trial

ClinicalTrials.gov · COMPLETED, 2026

214 participants

Abstract

The treatment of gestational diabetes (GDM) primarily revolves around consuming an optimal diet that does not cause blood glucose levels to become excessively high and provides an adequate supply of micro- and macronutrients without resulting in excessive weight gain during pregnancy. In some cases, it may become necessary to supplement with insulin during pregnancy. However, insulin treatment is associated with personal, health-related, and healthcare cost-related implications. The rationale for this study is the lack of knowledge regarding whether the extent of support and guidance from a dietitian during pregnancy has an impact on the treatment outcomes for both the mother and the child in cases of GDM. The overall objective is to investigate differences in clinical, cost-related, and patient-reported outcomes between women with GDM randomised to either intensive dietary therapy or standard dietary care (control). The primary endpoint is the effect of intensive dietary therapy on the likelihood of remaining treated with diet only vs. needing insulin therapy. The study design is a randomised controlled parallel group open-label effectiveness trial including 214 women with GDM.

Conditions: GDM, Gestational Diabetes, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases, Nutrition Therapy, Medical Nutrition Therapy.

Primary outcome: Percentage of insulin-treated.

Enrollment: 214 participants.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 214 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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