Body Weight Changes During Pregnancy and Lactation in Rural African (Gambian) Women

Thomson, A. M.; Billewicz, W. Z.; Thompson, Barbara; McGregor, Ian A.

doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.1966.tb06075.x

Cited by 48 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…While women may have more flexibility in how they respond, their options are constrained by their socioeconomic context, making the biocultural approach particularly useful for understanding maternal strategies (Stuart-Macadam and Dettwyler, 1995). Unfortunately, with the exception of the work of Panter-Brick (1993) and research from The Gambia (Prentice et al, 1981(Prentice et al, , 1996Roberts et al, 1982;Thomson et al, 1966) few studies have provided this biocultural context in studies of lactational energetics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…However, a major problem in interpreting some of these data has been the marked seasonality in food availability and workloads found in both locations (Lawrence et al, 1987;PanterBrick, 1993;Thomson et al, 1966). This paper reports longitudinal data on the energetics (dietary intake, energy expenditure and body composition) of lactating Ribeirinha (mixed Indigenous/Portuguese/African ethnicity) women living in rural communities in the eastern Amazon who practice subsistencebased agriculture.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Although the studies of Gambian (Prentice et al, 1981;Roberts et al, 1982;Thomson et al, 1966) and Nepalese women farmers (PanterBrick, 1989(PanterBrick, , 1993 did not consider all aspects of energy balance simultaneously, they provide the most complete data on the energetics of lactation among rural women in subsistence economies. However, a major problem in interpreting some of these data has been the marked seasonality in food availability and workloads found in both locations (Lawrence et al, 1987;PanterBrick, 1993;Thomson et al, 1966).…”

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confidence: 98%

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Diet, energy expenditure, and body composition of lactating Ribeirinha women in the brazilian amazon

Piperata

Dufour

2007

American J Hum Biol

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Lactation is the most energetically demanding part of human reproduction; yet, compared with pregnancy, we know little about the strategies women in different settings employ to cope with these increased energy demands. This paper takes a biocultural approach and reports longitudinal data on the anthropometry, dietary intakes and energy expenditure of a sample of 23 rural, lactating Ribeirinha women living in subsistence-based communities in the eastern Amazon. The dietary intakes of these lactating women were insufficient to meet their lactating energy needs and were least sufficient during resguardo, a 40-day period in the immediate postpartum when the women observed a series of food taboos and work restrictions. Instead, the women in this study met the increased energy demands of lactation by drawing on their energy reserves and reducing their energy expenditure in physical activity. The women showed a significant reduction in weight (P<0.001), BMI (P<0.001) and in circumferences (hip, P=0.01; waist, P=0.03) and skinfolds (thigh, P=0.03) in the gluteal femoral region. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) was lowest during resguardo and increased as lactation progressed (P=0.01). While the practice of resguardo reduced maternal energy expenditure and allowed women more time to spend with their newborn infants, it came at a cost (low dietary intake), which appears to be related to the loss of the adult woman from subsistence activities. By taking a biocultural approach this study illustrates the role the social environment plays in shaping the experience of lactating women.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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confidence: 98%

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Diet, energy expenditure, and body composition of lactating Ribeirinha women in the brazilian amazon

Piperata

Dufour

2007

American J Hum Biol

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“…The village of Keneba was chos.en for this study because it satisfied the desired environmental, nutritional, and ethnic criteria: firstly, the population is Negro, of the Mandinka tribe, and as marriage partners are usually chosen from within the village the sample was relatively homogeneous genetically; secondly, the nutritional status of the subjects is suboptimal because of dependence on a vegetarian diet, which frequently becomes scarce between June and October of each year, 19 and causes weight loss of 6 to 8 pounds in both males and females; thirdly, alcohol and the atmospheric pollutants of the developed countries are lacking; and finally, the health status of the community is very different from western communities. The incidence of chronic infestation with malarial and helminthic parasites is extremely high, infant mortality is high, and life expectancy is relatively short.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting antipyrine metabolism in West African villagers

Fraser

Bulpitt

Kahn

et al. 1976

Clin Pharma and Therapeutics

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Saliva half-life of antipyrine was studied in 49 healthy Gambians between 20 and 60 yr of age of whom 27 were male (mean age, 44.5) and 22 female (mean age, 39.1). Body wieght, height, ponderal index, albumin, and hemoglobin were moderately reduced compared to accepted normal values. Antipyrine half-life was 13.6 +/- 0.58 (SEM) hr. Multiple regression analysis showed that sex, cola nut consumption, hemoglobin in women, and height in men were statiscally significant independent predictors of antipyrine half-life. Half-life was shorter in women, decreased with an increase in height in men, and was prolonged by cola nut consumption. Half-life in women increased with hemoglobin. These factors explained 36% of the variation and suggest that geographic differences in the environment could be important in drug metabolism in man.

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“…For example, during the season of food availability, Gambian women gained 3 kg of body fat, but during the season of food scarcity they lost 4.7 kg of fat during pregnancy (Lawrence et al, 1987). In this same community, weight gain during pregnancy has been reported as 5.5 kg in the better season and half this much in the worse season (Thomson et al, 1966). Both weight gain and changes in arm circumference during pregnancy are affected by season in Bangladesh (Chowdhury, 1987).…”

Section: Change In Mns During Pregnancy In Less Affluent Societiesmentioning

confidence: 95%

Associations between reproduction and maternal body weight: examining the component parts of a full reproductive cycle

2003

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Objective: Many transitional societies currently face both extremes of nutritional status, undernutrition and overnutrition. Women of reproductive age are at high risk of these conditions. The purpose of this review is to consider evidence for relationships between reproduction and nutritional status in women from societies of varying economic development, using body weight or weight-for-height as indicators of maternal nutritional status. Design: The conceptual framework guiding this review is that the duration of the reproductive cycle varies as a function of its component parts, which include (i) pregnancy, (ii) lactation, (iii) the non-pregnant=non-lactating (NP=NL) interval or, possibly, (iv) an overlap between lactation and next pregnancy. All component parts of the complete cycle vary in length and are associated with changes in nutritional status. A variety of factors ('proximal and distal determinants') influence the duration of the component parts of the reproductive cycle. This framework is used to examine current knowledge of changes in maternal nutritional status during each of these parts. Results: Women in affluent societies retain some weight with each pregnancy, beyond that of non-pregnant women. Women in less affluent societies retain less weight with each pregnancy. During lactation, women in both affluent and less affluent societies experience only modest weight loss. During the NP=NL interval, women in affluent societies tend to gain weight, whereas weight of women in less affluent societies is likely to fluctuate. Conclusions: We conclude that there is a dearth of information on certain parts of the cycle, particularly the periods of overlap of lactation with pregnancy and the NP=NL interval.

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Body Weight Changes During Pregnancy and Lactation in Rural African (Gambian) Women

Cited by 48 publications

References 5 publications

Diet, energy expenditure, and body composition of lactating Ribeirinha women in the brazilian amazon

Diet, energy expenditure, and body composition of lactating Ribeirinha women in the brazilian amazon

Factors affecting antipyrine metabolism in West African villagers

Associations between reproduction and maternal body weight: examining the component parts of a full reproductive cycle

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