{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,16]],"date-time":"2026-06-16T23:14:30Z","timestamp":1781651670198,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767312000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common metabolic complications of pregnancy, and its prevalence continues to rise worldwide. Dietary management is the cornerstone of therapy, yet adherence may impose a substantial everyday burden. This study aimed to assess perceived burden and practical challenges related to following a diabetic diet in women with GDM. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous online questionnaire study was conducted among 109 women with a current or past diagnosis of GDM within the previous five years. The survey addressed self-reported difficulties in maintaining normal blood glucose levels, adherence to a diabetic diet, perceived increases in grocery expenses, time required for meal preparation, dietary preferences, and family attitudes toward the diet. Associations between categorical variables were analyzed using contingency tables and the contingency coefficient. Results: Women with insulin-treated GDM (GDM2) reported more difficulties maintaining normal blood glucose levels than women treated with diet and physical activity alone (GDM1) (p = 0.014). Educational level was associated with perceived financial burden (p = 0.013) and meal preparation time (p = 0.003). These patterns likely reflect both differences in economic resources and the extent of dietary changes undertaken, rather than uniform differences in nutritional awareness. Pregnancy status was associated with dietary preferences, as non-pregnant respondents more often reported liking diabetic-diet meals than pregnant respondents (p = 0.037). Overall, 53.2% of respondents reported that a diabetic diet made daily functioning more difficult, mainly due to increased time and financial demands. Conclusions: Dietary management of GDM is associated with a meaningful perceived burden, especially among women requiring insulin therapy and those facing financial and time constraints. Understanding these subjective challenges may support more individualized dietary counseling and patient-centered care.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15010340","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T11:11:46Z","timestamp":1767352306000},"page":"340","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Education, Pregnancy Status, and Diet Adherence in Gestational Diabetes: Perceived Burden of Dietary Management"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Tomczewska","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mother\u2019s and Child\u2019s Health and Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7651-8250","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Tomczyk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Reproduction and Gynecology, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ma\u0142gorzata","family":"Kampioni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Reproduction and Gynecology, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Witold M.","family":"K\u0119dzia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Student Scientific Association of Department of Reproduction and Gynecology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pawe\u0142","family":"Rzymski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mother\u2019s and Child\u2019s Health and Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ma\u0142gorzata","family":"K\u0119dzia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Reproduction and Gynecology, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Quintanilla Rodriguez, B.S., Vadakekut, E.S., and Mahdy, H. 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[6th ed.]."}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/15\/1\/340\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,5]],"date-time":"2026-01-05T11:12:02Z","timestamp":1767611522000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/15\/1\/340"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm15010340"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm15010340","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]]}}}