Blueberry and fiber during pregnancy in women with obesity
What it found
In pregnant women with obesity, daily blueberries plus soluble fiber led to less weight gain, lower blood sugar, and less inflammation.
The trial lasted 18 weeks.
What they found
Studies in people
Weight gain in pregnancy
Women taking blueberries and fiber gained less weight by the end of the trial. They gained an average of 6.8 kg compared with 12.0 kg in the control group.
Blood sugar levels
Blood sugar measured by a glucose challenge test was lower in the blueberry and fiber group. Their average was 100 mg/dL compared with 131 mg/dL in the control group.
Inflammation marker
C-reactive protein, a sign of inflammation, stayed lower over time in the blueberry and fiber group. By the end of the trial it averaged 5.5 mg/L versus 9.5 mg/L in controls.
Cholesterol and fats
Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides did not differ between the two groups over the course of the study.
Baby birth weight
The researchers found no difference in infant birth weight between the two groups.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that adding whole blueberries and soluble fiber to the diet may help prevent excess weight gain during pregnancy in women with obesity.
- They also say this combination may improve blood sugar control and lower inflammation.
How it was done
Gestational diabetes is a growing concern, and maternal obesity and poor diets may play a role. Scientists know little about whether plant compounds and fiber from food can help prevent it.
They recruited 34 pregnant women with obesity before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Half took 280 g of whole blueberries and 12 g of soluble fiber every day for 18 weeks. The other half received standard prenatal care, and both groups got nutrition advice.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial tested blueberries together with soluble fiber, so it cannot show what blueberries alone would do.
- With only 34 women, the results might not apply to all pregnant women or those without obesity.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIGMS NIH HHS; NIDDK NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- University of Nevada at Las Vegas, USA; Medical University of South Carolina, USA
The paper
- Title
- Dietary Blueberry and Soluble Fiber Supplementation Reduces Risk of Gestational Diabetes in Women with Obesity in a Randomized Controlled Trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Basu A, Feng D, Planinic P, Ebersole JL, Lyons TJ, Alexander JM (2021). Dietary Blueberry and Soluble Fiber Supplementation Reduces Risk of Gestational Diabetes in Women with Obesity in a Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of nutrition. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa435Free full textPubMed 33693835DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error