Body composition in mothers of infants according to the type of feeding. Preliminary data
Authors: Guzmán‐Mercado Elizabeth , Vasquez‐Garibay Edgar M , Larrosa‐Haro Alfredo , Muñoz‐Esparza Nelly , Badillo Nayeli , Apodaca Sofia , Mancilla‐Madrid Michelle , Romero‐Velarde Enrique 
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The prenatal and postnatal stages are periods of important changes in the body composition of woman and risk factor of developing overweight and obesity. Postpartum weight changes are associated with energy intake, physical activity, and the type of feeding the mother offers to the infant. Apparently, exclusive breastfeeding promotes gradual weight loss during the first six months postpartum due to increased energy expenditure and the mobilization of fat tissue. Therefore, the purpose is to show the differences in body composition in mothers according to the type of infant feeding at two and four months postpartum.

Methodology

In a cohort study, with a non‐probabilistic, purposeful sample at concentration site, 104 dyads (mother‐child) were admitted to the physiological puerperium wards of the New Civil Hospital of Guadalajara who met the inclusion criteria and signed informed consent. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to estimate body composition at two and four months postpartum. Anthropometric measurements were obtained: weight, height, middle upper arm circumference (MUAC), tricipital and subscapular skinfolds, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist hip index and body mass index (BMI). Inter‐ and intra‐group variables were compared at two and four months. Variables obtained by BIA were evaluated using non‐parametric statistics (Kruskal‐Wallis and Wilcoxon) and anthropometric variables with parametric statistics (ANOVA and Student's t for paired samples). The Research and Bioethics Committee of the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara approved the protocol.

Results

Of the total sample (104), 42 mothers offered exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), 37 partial breastfeeding (PBF) and 25 initiating milk formula feeding (MFF). The values of total water (kg), lean mass (kg), fat mass (kg) and fat percentage did not show differences between the groups with the three types of feeding. The intra‐group comparison showed a significant decrease in fat percentage (30.7 to 28.5%, p = 0.022) in the PBF group. The comparison of the indicators among the mothers of the three groups according to the type of feeding did not show significant differences. In the EBF group, there was an increase in MUAC between two and four months (26.9 ± 4.4 to 27.8 ± 5, p = 0.009) and a decrease in BMI (24.9 ± 5.8 to 24.7 ± 6, p = 0.049). In the PBF group, there was also an increase in MUAC from two to four months (27.2 ± 4.3 to 27.8 ± 5, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

There were no differences in body composition according to the type of infant feeding. BMI showed a tendency to decrease between two and four months, particularly in the EBF group. The changes observed in MUAC in EBF and PBF between two and four months could be related to changes in lean mass and water content.

Support or Funding Information

Project supported by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (234158)