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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Western Human Nutrition Research Center » Obesity and Metabolism Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #417269
Research Project: Improving Public Health by Understanding Metabolic and Bio-Behavioral Effects of Following Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Location: Obesity and Metabolism Research

Title: Predictors of longitudinal changes in body composition and BMI in Brazilian lactating women during the first 8.5 months postpartum

Author
item DE SOUZA CAMPOS, ADRIANA - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte
item TORRES SILVA, GABRIELA - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte
item LIMA FERREIRA, ANA - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte
item CUNHA FIGUEIREDO, AMANDA - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte
item SCHNEIDER, BRUNA - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte
item KURIHAYASHI, AY - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte
item DE BARROS MUCCI, DANIELA - Rio De Janeiro State University
item LEWIS, JACK - University Of Copenhagen
item CHRISTENSEN, SOPHIE - University Of Copenhagen
item MOLGAARD, CHRISTIAN - University Of Copenhagen
item MICHAELSEN, KIM - University Of Copenhagen
item Allen, Lindsay
item KAC, GILBERTO - Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte

Submitted to: British Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2025
Publication Date: 5/19/2025
Citation: de Souza Campos, A.D., Torres Silva, G., Lima Ferreira, A.L., Cunha Figueiredo, A.C., Schneider, B.C., Kurihayashi, A., de Barros Mucci, D., Lewis, J.I., Christensen, S.H., Molgaard, C., Michaelsen, K.F., Allen, L.H., Kac, G. 2025. Predictors of longitudinal changes in body composition and BMI in Brazilian lactating women during the first 8.5 months postpartum. British Journal of Nutrition. 133(10):1350-1362. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114525000935.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114525000935

Interpretive Summary: Pregnancy and lactation impacts women’s body, but only a few longitudinal studies have examined these changes during the time of lactation. Here, we investigated maternal and infant factors and their potential of predicting maternal body fat (BF), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body mass index (BMI). 234 mother-infant pairs were followed at three time intervals (1.0–3.49, 3.5–5.99, 6.0–8.5 months postpartum). FFM decreased over time during lactation, while pre-pregnancy overweight women revealed increases in all body components (BF, FM, FFM) and BMI. Mothers of multiple infants had a higher BMI, and birthing by cesarean delivery showed higher FFM and BMI. Women who birthed girls had lower FM and FFM. Relationships were found for maternal age =30 years, higher family income, multiparity, and infant sex, for BC and BMI trajectories. Thus, several maternal maternal characteristics and environmental factors as well as infant sex were found to predict maternal BC and BMI.

Technical Abstract: Background & Aims: Pregnancy and lactation change women’s body composition (BC), but few longitudinal studies have investigated postpartum BC trajectories. We aimed to investigate maternal and infant predictors of maternal body fat (BF), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body mass index (BMI) trajectories during lactation. Methods: Longitudinal study with 234 mother-infant dyads followed at 1.0–3.49, 3.5–5.99, and 6.0–8.5 months postpartum. Maternal BC was estimated using bioelectrical impedance at all follow-up points. Longitudinal mixed-effects models with interaction terms with time (weeks postpartum) were employed. Results: FFM declined significantly over weeks postpartum (ß = -0.02; 95% CI -0.03, -0.01). Pre-pregnancy overweight women experienced an increase in all body components (BF: ß = 4.91, 95% CI 3.79, 6.04; FM: ß = 6.46, 95% CI 5.26, 7.67; FFM: ß = 3.72, 95% CI 2.80, 4.65) and BMI (ß = 4.51, 95% CI 3.91, 5.12). Multiparous women showed BMI increases (ß = 0.76, 95% CI 0.11, 1.41); those who delivered by cesarean had FFM (ß = 1.87, 95% CI 0.67, 3.07) and BMI (ß = 1.39, 95% CI 0.61, 2.18) increases. Women who birthed girls had reductions in FM (ß = -1.24, 95% CI -2.41, -0.07) and FFM (ß = -0.93, 95% CI -1.84, -0.01). Interactions occurred between maternal age =30 years, higher family income, multiparity, and infant sex for BC and BMI trajectories. Conclusion: Maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, family income, mode of delivery, and infant sex predict maternal BC and BMI trajectories. Clinical trial registration: NCT03254329.