Date

5-1-2025

Department

School of Health Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (PhD)

Chair

Ruth Rasmussen

Keywords

Gestational diabetes mellitus, Mediterranean diet, hypertension, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, DASH, aMED

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

This study aimed to address the difference in adherence to the Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) in lowering hypertension among women with GDM. This study is a quantitative, secondary analysis study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007-2016, targeting pregnant women with GDM (n =240). The demographics, dietary, questionnaire, and examination files in NHANES captured the dependent variable, hypertension, and the independent variables, Mediterranean and DASH diets. The covariates included age, race/ethnicity, family income, education, and marital status. Adjusted odds ratios using binary and multiple logistic regression were calculated utilizing SPSS version 29. The results indicated that there is a significant difference between the Mediterranean and DASH diets in lowering hypertension in women with GDM, regardless of race/ethnicity. Additionally, both the Mediterranean and DASH diets were significantly effective in reducing hypertension in women with GDM, regardless of the severity of hypertension (elevated, stage 1, stage 2, or hypertensive crisis). Although, the adherence to the DASH diet lowered hypertension in women with GDM more effectively than the Mediterranean diet, the Mediterranean diet was proven to be equally effective as the DASH in lowering hypertension, regardless of severity, in women with GDM.

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