Device-Assessed Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Health in Chinese American Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background: While there is evidence of the benefits of healthy maternal lifestyle behaviors (eg, physical activity plus a healthy diet) on cardiometabolic health, there are limited data on the independent association between physical activity and cardiometabolic health among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Objective: In this study, our aim was to explore the association between device-assessed physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes in Chinese American women, a group disproportionately affected by GDM and type 2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 33 Chinese American women (0.5–5 years after delivery) with a history of GDM in New York City in 2023 to 2024, in which we collected their device-assessed physical activity data, online survey data (in Mandarin and English), and cardiometabolic data (via fasting blood samples). Descriptive, unadjusted, and adjusted regression analyses were performed. Results: Participants’ mean age was 38.2 ± 3.3 years (2.6 ± 1.5 years after delivery), and body mass index was 23.5 (interquartile range: 21.7–25.1) kg/m 2 . Among the 33 participants, 27.3% had prediabetes, 51.5% had lipid dysregulation, and 21.2% had elevated blood pressure. The duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week was 132.4 (interquartile range: 90.5–272.0) minutes, and 46.9% of the cohort met the physical activity recommendation of ≥150 minutes moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week. In regression models, meeting the physical activity recommendations was inversely associated with total cholesterol (−27.6 ± 12.7 mg/dL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−25.5 ± 10.6 mg/dL) levels (both P <.04). Conclusions: The majority of participants engaged in suboptimal physical activity levels. However, meeting physical activity recommendations was associated with better total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Targeting physical activity may be a key strategy for improving cardiometabolic health in Chinese American women recently diagnosed with GDM.