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# Red meat may boost gestational diabetes mellitus risk
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/red_meat_may_boost_gestational_diabetes_mellitus_risk_0204161158/
- Published: 2016-02-04T12:57:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:19:22.000Z
- Description: A Diabetic Medicine meta-analysis of studies published from January 1995 to July 2015 found each one-unit rise in the iron marker ferritin was linked to a 41 percent higher risk of gestational diabetes, while two trials indicated iron supplementation did not raise the risk.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Thursday Feb 4, 2016 (foodconsumer.org) -- It has been known that high intake of iron is associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. A new study reported recently in Diabetic Medicine suggests that high iron intake or high iron in the blood can raise the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women.

The study found maternal iron status during the first trimester body iron stores and iron intake through diet associated with elevated risk for gestational diabetes mellitus.

The meta-analysis based on data from studies published between Jan 1995 and July 2015 revealed that a 41% increase in the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with one-unit increase in the biomarker called ferritin.

Two trials indicated that iron supplementation did not increase risk of gestational diabetes mellitus while high levels of ferritin, high serum iron, and high intake of heme iron from red meats. (David Liu)

*A. Z. Khambalia, A. Aimone, P. Nagubandi1, C. L. Roberts, A. McElduff, J. M. Morris, K. L. Powell, V. Tasevski and N. Nassar, Systematic Review or Meta-analysis: High maternal iron status, dietary iron intake and iron supplement use in pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective study and systematic review, Diametic Medicine, Article first published online: 12 JAN 2016, Vol. 33 Issue 2*