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ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between dietary habits, physical activity and cognitive views and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Chinese women.DesignA cross-sectional study to explore the potential risk factors of GMD through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, an FFQ and a self-designed structured questionnaire, respectively.SettingGuangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.SubjectsChinese pregnant women (n 571) who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at their 24th to 28th gestational week.ResultsThirteen per cent of the investigated women were identified as having GDM, and an increased intake of local featured foods and lower physical activity were observed in the GDM-positive group v. the GDM-negative group. Women who regarded early-pregnancy morning sickness as relevant to fetal abnormalities and those with unlimited dietary intake after the ending of morning sickness both had an increased risk for GDM (P = 0·018 and P = 0·038, respectively). After multiple logistic regression analysis, cognitive views for unlimited food intake subsequent to morning sickness, increased consumption of energy-dense snack foods and high-glycaemic-index fruits were strongly associated with the risk of GDM (OR = 1·911, P = 0·032; OR = 1·050, P = 0·001; and OR = 1·002, P = 0·017, respectively).ConclusionsLocal featured foods and incorrect cognitive views on pregnancy-related health were closely related to the risk of GDM in Chinese women. Intensive health education about pregnancy physiology and reasonable dietary and physical exercise behaviours should be strengthened for the control of GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large epidemiological studies suggest that there are important differences in the incidence and severity of a wide variety of cardiac diseases, between premenopausal and menopausal women. Recently, it has been demonstrated that resveratrol may has similar function as estrogen. However, whether resveratrol replacement could mimic estrogen to protect heart in ovariectomized mice remains completely unknown. Firstly, the present study has used OVX/CAL model to investigate the effect of RSV on ischemic heart. Echocardiography analysis revealed that RSV administration significantly improved cardiac contractile function in estrogen-deficient mice. RSV also significantly reduced CK and LDH release, and heart infarct size in OVX/CAL group. Secondly, mitochondrial functions, including MRC activities, MDA level, and mitochondrial swelling, were evaluated in OVX mice. It was found that supplementation with RSV could restore mitochondrial function dampened by OVX. Thirdly, these protective functions mediated by RSV were mainly attributed to the enhancement of SIRT1/AMPK activity. In summary, the results support a potential role of resveratrol in the protection of cardiac functions under estrogen depletion status.