Experts warn mothers and babies at growing risk without better care for type 2 diabetes

Researchers from across the UK and Ireland are calling for urgent action to improve care for women with early-onset type 2 diabetes before, during and after pregnancy.

University of Leicester

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Professor Claire Meek

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Credit: University of Leicester

Researchers from across the UK and Ireland are calling for urgent action to improve care for women with early-onset type 2 diabetes before, during and after pregnancy.

The call follows a new consensus statement developed by an expert group of clinicians and researchers from the UK and Ireland. 

The statement sets out critical gaps in current knowledge and clear priorities for future research to better support women and their babies.

Clinical Senior Lecturer in Women’s Health and Diabetes at King’s College London, Dr Sara White explains: “Type 2 diabetes in women of reproductive age is rising, yet evidence to guide safe and effective care across pregnancy is limited. 

“From the experience of clinicians and women living with diabetes, we know that being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a young age increases the risk of serious problems during pregnancy, as well as long-term health problems for both mothers and their babies.

“Even so, most research has focused on managing blood sugar during pregnancy. Much less attention has been given to helping women prepare before pregnancy, supporting them after birth, and understanding the wider social factors that affect health outcomes.”

The consensus statement, published in Diabetic Medicine on 16 March 2026 brings together evidence from three large systematic reviews, alongside expert and audience discussion from the Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference in 2025. 

It highlights an urgent need to rethink how care is designed and delivered for this group of women.

Professor of Chemical Pathology and Diabetes in Pregnancy at the University of Leicester, Claire Meek, who receives funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), said the lack of evidence leaves both women and clinicians navigating pregnancy with too little support.

She said: “Women with early-onset type 2 diabetes are often managing complex health needs at a young age, yet the systems around them are not designed with that reality in mind.

“We need coordinated, evidence-based care that starts before pregnancy, continues after birth, and recognises the wider social and cultural barriers many women face.”

The group identifies several priority areas where research and service change could make an immediate difference. These include improving access to preconception care, supporting healthy weight before, during and after pregnancy and strengthening postnatal follow-up to reduce long-term risks such as cardiovascular disease. 

The statement also stresses the importance of addressing inequalities linked to deprivation, ethnicity, language barriers and access to healthcare.

Researchers emphasise that listening to women’s experiences must sit at the heart of future work. Many women report feeling judged or stigmatised, poorly informed about pregnancy risks, and unsupported once specialist maternity care ends.

Dr Rita Forde Senior Lecturer, the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork added: “By setting out a shared research agenda we hope to accelerate studies co-developed with women and communities that will improve outcomes for these women and their future children.” 

The consensus statement calls on funders, policymakers and healthcare leaders to act now, warning that without targeted investment, preventable harms to women and babies will continue to rise alongside the growing prevalence of early-onset type 2 diabetes.

Researchers belonging to the following institutions contributed to the consensus statement: University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, the University of Leicester, Newcastle University, King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, and in Ireland - University College Cork, and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. 

The NIHR Leicester BRC is part of the NIHR and hosted by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group.

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Journal

Diabetic Medicine

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

A call to action: A consensus statement on knowledge gaps and research priorities on the management of women with early onset type 2 diabetes in the preconception, pregnancy and postnatal periods

Article Publication Date

13-Mar-2026

New study fills research gap in food safety to better protect pregnant people from Listeria

Study develops first biologically plausible dose-response models specific to Listeria and stillbirth risk during pregnancy

Society for Risk Analysis

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Herdon, VA, March 17, 2026 — Listeria is the third-leading cause of death among bacterial foodborne pathogens in the U.S. and pregnant individuals bear a disproportionate share of that burden. Yet the scientific models used to set food safety policy have rarely been designed with pregnant people specifically in mind. A new study to be published in Risk Analysis aims to change that. 

Each year, approximately 1,250 Americans contract listeriosis, the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The disease carries a staggering 86% hospitalization rate and is fatal in approximately 14% of cases. For pregnant individuals, the stakes are even higher: pregnancy-associated cases account for 14% of all listeriosis cases, and when listeria reaches the fetus, it causes stillbirth in 25% of those infections. Many pregnant individuals experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, or none at all, while the bacterium silently crosses the placenta. Recent outbreaks in 2021-2023 linked to ice cream, queso fresco, and enoki mushrooms resulted in five stillbirths in just three years. 

Researchers Tyler Stump, Carly Gomez, Ph.D. and Jade Mitchell, Ph.D. of Michigan State University set out to fill this gap. By analyzing animal studies that tracked how pregnant hosts respond to specific doses of L. monocytogenes, the team developed new biologically plausible dose-response models — one for maternal infection and one for stillbirth — built on data from guinea pigs and gerbils, which share key biological traits with humans relevant to listeria pathogenesis. 

The study found that fetal brain infection is a more precise and reliable indicator of stillbirth risk than direct stillbirth outcomes alone. Fetal brain infection was present in every observed stillbirth and absent in all non-stillbirth cases, making it a verifiable surrogate endpoint that significantly strengthened the model’s accuracy. By pooling this data with other stillbirth datasets, the researchers produced a better-fitting model than any previously available. 

“Public health agencies should use population-specific models like these when developing food safety guidance rather than applying generic population estimates,” said Mitchell, professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University. “As listeria outbreaks continue to occur, having more precise risk assessment tools will support more informed and protective food safety policies.” 

The authors caution that pregnancy involves a unique combination of physiological, behavioral, and clinical variables that cannot be captured by applying general immunocompromised population models. Their work calls on public health agencies to use population-specific models when developing food safety guidelines for sensitive groups. 

FDA guidance recommends that pregnant individuals avoid high-risk foods including unpasteurized cheeses, raw sprouts, deli meats, hot dogs, and smoked seafood unless heated thoroughly. Listeria is unusual among foodborne pathogens because it can grow even under refrigeration, making careful food handling particularly important. Symptoms of listeriosis such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea may appear anywhere from one day to several weeks after exposure.   

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About Society for Risk Analysis 

The Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) is a multidisciplinary, global organization dedicated to advancing the science and practice of risk analysis. Founded in 1980, SRA brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from diverse fields including engineering, public health, environmental science, economics, and decision theory. The Society fosters collaboration and communication on risk assessment, management, and communication to inform decision-making and protect public well-being. SRA supports a wide range of scholarly activities, publications, and conferences. Learn more at www.sra.org. 

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Journal

Risk Analysis

Article Title

Development of dose-response models for the ingestion exposure route and stillbirth outcome for Listeria monocytogenes

Article Publication Date

17-Mar-2026

 

Some Canadians are willing to eat insect-based food — but conditions apply

A Concordia-led study reveals that curiosity drives entomophagy in adults, while disgust hinders it

Concordia University

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Nadezhda Velchovska, with Rassim Khelifa.

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Credit: Concordia University

Going to the grocery store these days can be a painful experience, with record-high price hikes biting into Canadian food budgets. However, as many societies around the world already know, a cheap, plentiful source of protein is literally at our feet: insects, especially crickets, grasshoppers, ants and beetles.

While entomophagy — the eating of insects — has lagged in the U.S. and Canada, a new study by Concordia researchers found that there is some interest in the dietary practice, with some demographic groups showing more openness than others.

Nadezhda Velchovska, an Honours undergraduate in the Department of Psychology, approached 252 adult visitors to the Montreal Insectarium between October 2024 and February 2025. She used a structured online questionnaire to evaluate participants’ willingness, motivation and barriers to trying insect-based food.

After analyzing the results, Velchovska and her supervisor Rassim Khelifa, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology, found 44 per cent of respondents reported being open to trying insects, though only 27 per cent were willing to include them in their regular diet.

Men were more willing than women to consume insect-based food and were more likely to have tried it in the past. Higher educational achievement was also a factor: participants with graduate degrees were found to be more likely to experiment with insect-based ingredients at home, and prior insect consumption among women increased with education. Age alone was not found to be a consistent predictor.

The paper was published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.

Powdered is better

Curiosity was the strongest motivator in getting people to try insect-based foods, accounting for almost 42 per cent of respondents. Other factors include perceived health and nutritional benefits, environmental sustainability and taste.

The biggest barrier was disgust, as noted by 70 per cent of respondents. It was followed by fear of the insects, uncertainty about safety and health concerns.

Presentation and packaging were also important: 87 per cent of respondents preferred products where the insect component was not visible. Two-thirds of respondents said they might or certainly would try eating baked goods made with cricket-based flour. Almost half would try a cricket protein bar and powdered cricket bread. On the other hand, 82 per cent said visible larvae in a muffin would make them less likely to eat it.

“The motivators and barriers reveal an interesting interplay,” Velchovska says. “If we want to encourage entomophagy, the best way would be to convince the public of the health benefits and sanitary conditions in which these insects are farmed. We should also emphasize the huge difference in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced when farming insects versus raising livestock.”

Khelifa adds that farming insects can help upcycle the 40 per cent of food that goes to waste in Canada. The practice could also contribute to more sustainable agricultural production — including feed for farm animals.

“If we feed our food waste to insects, they will increase in body mass, giving us more insect protein and more insect excretions, which makes excellent fertilizer,” he says. “The protein would not even have to be for human consumption directly — it could be used as feed for chicken, pigs and aquaculture. Involving insects in our food system, either directly or indirectly, can yield enormous potential benefits.”

This research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Read the cited paper: “Acceptance of entomophagy among Canadians at an insectarium”

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Journal

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-026-35288-w 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Acceptance of entomophagy among Canadians at an insectarium

 

Turning agricultural waste into smarter livestock nutrition tools

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

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Smart waste-derived materials for feed application: chestnut shells and vine pruning biochar

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Credit: Marianna Guagliano, Serena Reggi, Matteo Dell’Anno, Silvia Mostoni, Filippo Ottani, Marco Puglia, Giovanni Dotelli, Roberto Scotti, Simone Pedrazzi, Luciana Rossi, Cinzia Cristiani & Elisabetta Finocchio

A new study has found that biochar made from agricultural waste such as chestnut shells and vine prunings could help deliver beneficial compounds more effectively in animal feed, offering a promising alternative to antibiotics in livestock production.

The research, published in Biochar, explores how biochar can act as a carrier for lysozyme, a natural antimicrobial enzyme commonly found in egg whites. Scientists developed a simple and environmentally friendly method to attach lysozyme onto biochar particles and tested how well the system works under conditions that mimic the digestive tract of young pigs.

“Our goal was to design a sustainable delivery system that protects sensitive bioactive molecules in the stomach and releases them where they are most effective, in the intestine,” said the study’s lead author. “Biochar offers a unique combination of porosity, surface chemistry, and stability that makes it an ideal candidate.”

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global concern, driven in part by the overuse of antibiotics in both human medicine and agriculture. In livestock farming, especially during stressful stages such as weaning, animals are vulnerable to disease and often require antibiotic treatments. Functional feed additives like lysozyme have emerged as promising alternatives, but their effectiveness is limited because they can degrade in the acidic environment of the stomach.

To address this challenge, the research team tested two types of biochar produced from waste biomass. One was derived from chestnut shells and the other from vine pruning residues. Both materials were shown to effectively bind lysozyme using a mild, water-based process.

The study found that the biochar carriers could load significant amounts of lysozyme while maintaining its stability. More importantly, release experiments revealed that the system behaves differently under varying pH conditions. At low pH, similar to the stomach, only a very small amount of lysozyme was released. At neutral pH, similar to the intestine, release increased, indicating that the biochar helps protect the enzyme during gastric transit and enables targeted delivery in the gut.

“This pH-responsive behavior is key,” the authors explained. “It means the biochar can shield the enzyme where it would otherwise be degraded and then release it where it can support gut health.”

Advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques confirmed that lysozyme molecules were evenly distributed across the biochar surface, rather than forming aggregates. This uniform distribution likely contributes to both the stability and controlled release of the enzyme.

Beyond its functional performance, the approach also highlights the value of agricultural waste. Materials that are typically burned or discarded can be converted into high-value products that support sustainable farming practices. The use of biochar may also provide additional environmental benefits, including reducing emissions and improving nutrient management.

The findings suggest that biochar-based delivery systems could play a role in reducing reliance on antibiotics while improving animal health and productivity. Although the current study focuses on livestock applications, the researchers note that similar strategies could be explored in other areas, including human nutrition and pharmaceutical delivery.

“This work opens the door to a new class of biochar applications,” the authors said. “By combining waste valorization with advanced material design, we can create solutions that are both effective and environmentally responsible.”

 

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Journal Reference: Guagliano, M., Reggi, S., Dell’Anno, M. et al. Smart waste-derived materials for feed application: chestnut shells and vine pruning biochar. Biochar 8, 39 (2026).   

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-025-00557-w   

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About Biochar

Biochar (e-ISSN: 2524-7867) is the first journal dedicated exclusively to biochar research, spanning agronomy, environmental science, and materials science. It publishes original studies on biochar production, processing, and applications—such as bioenergy, environmental remediation, soil enhancement, climate mitigation, water treatment, and sustainability analysis. The journal serves as an innovative and professional platform for global researchers to share advances in this rapidly expanding field. 

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Journal

Biochar

DOI

10.1007/s42773-025-00557-w 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Smart waste-derived materials for feed application: chestnut shells and vine pruning biochar