Illenberger KSekula JLawrence R2025-11-142025-02-23Illenberger K, Sekula J, Lawrence R. (2025). Adherence to Dietary and Lifestyle Guidelines Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and the Influence of a Student-Led Dietetic Clinics. Food Science and Nutrition. 13. 3.https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/73820Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Healthy diet and lifestyle habits may contribute to reducing this risk. This study aimed to describe dietary intake and lifestyle habits of women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus and determine the impact of nutrition and lifestyle counseling on dietary intake and lifestyle goals. This retrospective cohort study included 32 women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus 6 months postpartum who attended the student-led nutrition clinic between 01 June 2021 and 31 August 2022. Dietary intake, lifestyle, and physical activity habits were extracted from student dietitians' notes. The mid-p-value McNemar's test was used to determine whether attendance at the student-led dietetic clinic was associated with a change in the proportion of women meeting the guidelines. Fifteen percent (n = 5) of women did not meet any food group recommendations prior to any interventions. Most women (46.8%) engaged in less than the recommended level of physical activity and more than a quarter (28.1%) did not engage in any physical activity at their initial consultation. After attending at least one consultation, a greater proportion of women met recommendations for at least one food group (41.1% vs. 18.7%, p = 0.256) and a greater proportion of women met physical activity guidelines (60% vs. 25%, p = 0.125). In this cohort of postpartum women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, adherence to the Ministry of Health Eating and Activity guidelines was poor. Positive changes towards adherence are possible after attendance at a student-led nutrition and dietetic clinic.CC BY 4.0(c) 2025 The Author/shttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/dietgestational diabetes mellitushistory of gestational diabetes mellituslifestylephysical activitystudent-led dietetic clinicsJournal article10.1002/fsn3.700762048-7177journal-articlehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5614-6365e70060