Women who have had gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. In this study, we will investigate whether time-restricted eating combined with endurance exercise, mainly high-intensity interval training, can improve cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, metabolic health, and psychological well-being after childbirth.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups for 12 months:

1. Intervention group: Time-restricted eating, where food intake is limited to a maximum 10-hour eating window each day, combined with moderate- to high-intensity endurance exercise. The exercise will be adapted to your fitness level. During the first 8 weeks, the exercise sessions will be supervised and will mainly take place on a treadmill, usually 2–4 times per week. After the first 8 weeks, participants will continue exercising on their own and will receive follow-up until the 12-month assessment.
2. Control group: No study intervention. Participants will continue their usual lifestyle and receive standard clinical follow-up.

Participants will have their body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, and resting heart rate measured. Blood samples will be collected and an oral glucose tolerance test will be performed at baseline, after 8 weeks, and after 12 months. Participants will also complete questionnaires about physical activity, sleep, mental health, and other topics. If you are breastfeeding, we will also ask you to provide a breast milk sample at baseline and after 8 weeks. You are welcome to bring your baby, and we can help look after your child during testing and exercise sessions.

The study is conducted at NTNU in collaboration with St. Olavs Hospital.

Eligibility criteria:

• Women who had gestational diabetes in their most recent pregnancy
• Age: 18–50 years
• 6–12 weeks postpartum
• Living in the Trondheim area
• Usually have a daily eating window of 12 hours or more
• Able to walk or run on a treadmill or cycle for at least 60 minutes
• Not regularly engaging in high-intensity endurance exercise once per week or more
• No type 1 or type 2 diabetes or known cardiovascular disease
• Not pregnant or planning a new pregnancy during the study period
• Able to understand spoken and written Norwegian or English

Would you like to participate?

Please contact Trine Moholdt for more information about the study and the possibility of participating. See the contact details to the right, or below if you are viewing the page on a mobile device.