TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors of longitudinal changes in body composition and body mass index in Brazilian lactating women during the first 8.5 months postpartum
AU - de Souza Campos, Adriana Divina
AU - Silva, Gabriela Torres
AU - Lima Ferreira, Ana Lorena
AU - Cunha Figueiredo, Amanda Caroline
AU - Schneider, Bruna Celestino
AU - Kurihayashi, Aline Yukari
AU - de Barros Mucci, Daniela
AU - Lewis, Jack Ivor
AU - Christensen, Sophie Hilario
AU - Mølgaard, Christian
AU - Michaelsen, Kim F.
AU - Allen, Lindsay H.
AU - Kac, Gilberto
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - 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. Longitudinal study with 234 Brazilian 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. FFM declined significantly over weeks postpartum (β = -0.02 kg; 95% CI -0.03, - 0.01). Pre-pregnancy overweight women experienced an increase in all body components (BF: β = 4.91%, 95% CI 3.79, 6.04; FM: β = 6.46 kg, 95% CI 5.26, 7.67; FFM: β = 3.72 kg, 95% CI 2.80, 4.65) and BMI (β = 4.51 kg/m2, 95% CI 3.91, 5.12). Multiparous women showed BMI increases (β = 0.76 kg/m2, 95% CI 0.11, 1.41), and those who delivered by caesarean had FFM (β = 1.87 kg, 95% CI 0.67, 3.07) and BMI (β = 1.39 kg/m2, 95% CI 0.61, 2.18) increases. Women who birthed girls had reductions in FM (β = -1.24 kg, 95% CI -2.41, -0.07) and FFM (β = -0.93 kg, 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. Maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, family income, mode of delivery, and infant sex predict maternal BC and BMI trajectories.
AB - 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. Longitudinal study with 234 Brazilian 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. FFM declined significantly over weeks postpartum (β = -0.02 kg; 95% CI -0.03, - 0.01). Pre-pregnancy overweight women experienced an increase in all body components (BF: β = 4.91%, 95% CI 3.79, 6.04; FM: β = 6.46 kg, 95% CI 5.26, 7.67; FFM: β = 3.72 kg, 95% CI 2.80, 4.65) and BMI (β = 4.51 kg/m2, 95% CI 3.91, 5.12). Multiparous women showed BMI increases (β = 0.76 kg/m2, 95% CI 0.11, 1.41), and those who delivered by caesarean had FFM (β = 1.87 kg, 95% CI 0.67, 3.07) and BMI (β = 1.39 kg/m2, 95% CI 0.61, 2.18) increases. Women who birthed girls had reductions in FM (β = -1.24 kg, 95% CI -2.41, -0.07) and FFM (β = -0.93 kg, 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. Maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, family income, mode of delivery, and infant sex predict maternal BC and BMI trajectories.
KW - lactation
KW - maternal BMI
KW - maternal body composition
KW - postpartum period
KW - prospective study
U2 - 10.1017/S0007114525000935
DO - 10.1017/S0007114525000935
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 40384025
AN - SCOPUS:105005607631
SN - 0007-1145
SP - 1
EP - 33
JO - British Journal of Nutrition
JF - British Journal of Nutrition
ER -