A new study finds that pregnant women can cut their risk for gestational diabetes in half by maintaining a healthy lifestyle — and help their babies maintain a healthy weight later in life.

The study, published by the British Medical Journal, found that 48 percent of all pre-existing gestational diabetes pregnancies could have been avoided if the women exercised, maintained a healthy weight and diet and didn't smoke.

An estimated 1 to 14 percent of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gestational diabetes occurs when pregnant women, who did not have diabetes previously, have high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. In addition, women with gestational diabetes have more than a 7-fold increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes in the 10 years after delivery, according to earlier research studies.

In the British study, researchers analyzed medical records indicating lifestyle habits and gestational diabetes diagnoses of more than 14,000 healthy women in the U.S. between 1989 and 2001. Gestational diabetes was reported in 823 pregnancies. A mathematical formula was used to estimate the proportion of gestational diabetes cases that hypothetically would not have occurred if the women had been in the low-risk group. The low-risk group ate well, maintained a body mass index below 25 before pregnancy, exercised and did not smoke.

The study found that being overweight or obese before pregnancy was the strongest individual risk factor for gestational diabetes. Women with a body mass index above 33 had a four times higher risk of developing gestational diabetes, compared to women who had a normal body mass index of 25 or below before pregnancy.

In addition, babies whose mothers suffer from gestational diabetes are more likely to become obese later in life, according to the American Diabetes Association. When moms have gestational diabetes, the baby's pancreas has to produce extra insulin, which turns into excess energy stored as fat.

The bottom line? During pregnancy try to gain no more than 15 to 25 pounds, take time to exercise and stop smoking.

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Q and A

Q: I hear a lot about cruciferous vegetables, but what else does this include besides broccoli? Do the others offer the same health benefits?

A: All cruciferous vegetables provide compounds that show potential to reduce cancer risk in several ways. In laboratory studies, these compounds seem to decrease inflammation, inhibit enzymes that activate carcinogens, stimulate enzymes that deactivate carcinogens and decrease cancer cells' ability to spread. They seem to turn on tumor suppressor genes, which slow cell growth so that cell damage can be repaired and stimulate self-destruction of abnormal cells. What's more, cruciferous vegetables are all excellent sources of vitamin C. Yet within the wide variety of cruciferous vegetables, choices differ in the other nutrients they provide. Dark green choices such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, broccoli rabe (rapini), mustard and collard greens, Swiss chard, kale and bok choy provide beta-carotene and tend to be rich in vitamin K. The red color in red cabbage and radishes signals the presence of flavonoid compounds called anthocyanins. Some cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard and mustard greens and broccoli rabe (rapini) are high in folate, which helps protect our DNA. Other cruciferous vegetables that add further variety include cabbage, broccolini, broccoflower, kohlrabi, turnips and rutabaga. Human studies are inconsistent in showing a link between cruciferous vegetable consumption and reduced cancer risk. It's possible that some people may get greater cancer protection from cruciferous vegetables than others due to genetic differences affecting how the body processes the compounds they contain. Differences in cooking and preparation may influence what these vegetables provide. Enjoy experimenting with variety, both in the ways you fix broccoli and the many other cruciferous vegetables.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Recipe

Here's an easy recipe for those weeknights when you need to get a healthy dinner on the table. Oven-baked pork and apples, from Cooking Light's October 2014 magazine, celebrates fall's best flavors.

OVEN BAKED PORK AND APPLES

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut loin pork chops

2 large crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp), cored and each cut into 12 wedges

1 red onion, cut into 12 wedges

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/3 cup unsalted chicken stock

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Coat a jelly-roll pan with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter; swirl until butter melts. Add 2 pork chops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 pork chops. Transfer pork to center of jelly-roll pan; scatter apple, onion, and thyme around the pork chops. Combine stock, vinegar, and oil; drizzle over meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 425F for 25 minutes or until apples are golden brown and pork chops are desired degree of doneness. Serves 4 (Serving size: 1 pork chop, 6 apple wedges, 3 onion wedges and 2 tablespoons pan sauce).

Per serving: 285 calories, 24 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 12.4 g fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 180 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.