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Predictors of longitudinal changes in body composition and BMI in Brazilian lactating women during the first 8·5 months postpartum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2025

Adriana Divina de Souza Campos ,
Gabriela Torres Silva ,
Ana Lorena Lima Ferreira ,
Amanda Caroline Cunha Figueiredo ,
Bruna Celestino Schneider Open the ORCID record for Bruna Celestino Schneider [Opens in a new window] ,
Aline Yukari Kurihayashi ,
Daniela de Barros Mucci ,
Jack Ivor Lewis Open the ORCID record for Jack Ivor Lewis [Opens in a new window] ,
Sophie Hilario Christensen Open the ORCID record for Sophie Hilario Christensen [Opens in a new window]  and
Christian Mølgaard
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Adriana Divina de Souza Campos
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gabriela Torres Silva
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ana Lorena Lima Ferreira
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil General Coordination of Food and Nutrition, Department of Health Prevention and Promotion, Secretariat of Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Brasília, Brazil
Amanda Caroline Cunha Figueiredo
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Bruna Celestino Schneider
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Aline Yukari Kurihayashi
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Daniela de Barros Mucci
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Department of Basic and Experimental Nutrition, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jack Ivor Lewis
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital – Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Sophie Hilario Christensen
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital – Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Christian Mølgaard
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital – Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Kim F. Michaelsen
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital – Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lindsay H. Allen
Affiliation:
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, USA Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Gilberto Kac*
Affiliation:
Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
*
Corresponding author: Gilberto Kac; Email: gilberto.kac@gmail.com
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Abstract

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 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.

Keywords

Maternal body compositionLactationProspective studyPostpartum periodMaternal BMI

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 133 , Issue 10 , 28 May 2025 , pp. 1350 - 1362
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society

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