Obesity and Early Pregnancy Nutrition: Pathways to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity and suboptimal nutrition in early pregnancy are among the most important and potentially modifiable determinants of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Beyond glucose, increasing evidence suggests that early pregnancy metabolic alterations, such as dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, and ectopic fat accumulation, may already define distinct risk trajectories long before routine GDM screening. However, mechanistic pathways, optimal risk stratification strategies, and effective early interventions remain insufficiently integrated across disciplines.

This Special Issue, “Obesity and Early Pregnancy Nutrition: Pathways to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes”, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how maternal adiposity and early nutritional exposures shape metabolic adaptation during pregnancy, contribute to GDM development, and influence short- and long-term outcomes for both the mother and offspring.

We welcome original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and translational perspectives addressing early pregnancy risk phenotyping, dietary patterns and biomarkers, metabolic profiling, and preventive strategies targeting high-risk individuals. By bringing together clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic research, this Special Issue seeks to advance a more precise and life course-oriented understanding of GDM and its complications, supporting earlier identification and more personalised prevention and management approaches.

Dr. Christian S. Göbl
Guest Editor

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