Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and cardiovascular diseases are increasing globally and any association between reproduction and these conditions is of concern. Unfortunately, little is known about normal levels of metabolic risk factors in women of different body mass index throughout the reproductive cycle. T...

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Main Authors: Anna Winkvist, Fredrik Bertz, Lars Ellegård, Ingvar Bosaeus, Hilde K Brekke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2013-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3646790?pdf=render
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author Anna Winkvist
Fredrik Bertz
Lars Ellegård
Ingvar Bosaeus
Hilde K Brekke
author_facet Anna Winkvist
Fredrik Bertz
Lars Ellegård
Ingvar Bosaeus
Hilde K Brekke
author_sort Anna Winkvist
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: Obesity and cardiovascular diseases are increasing globally and any association between reproduction and these conditions is of concern. Unfortunately, little is known about normal levels of metabolic risk factors in women of different body mass index throughout the reproductive cycle. This study is one of the first to describe the metabolic risk profile of lactating overweight or obese women at 8-12 weeks postpartum. METHODS: During 2007-2009, 66 overweight or obese Swedish lactating women without known diseases underwent detailed measurements of their metabolic profiles, dietary intake and general health before entering a lifestyle intervention trial. Baseline measurements took place between 8-12 wk postpartum. Almost all women were exclusively breastfeeding their term infants. RESULTS: The women were regarded as healthy, as reflected in the absence of diagnosed diseases, their own perceptions and in normal hemoglobin, albumin and fasting plasma glucose values. Four women were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. In these cases, underlying conditions included large waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol values, high triglyceride values and relatively high blood pressure. The metabolic profile differed between overweight and obese women; obese women had significantly higher levels of fasting insulin (p = 0.017), borderline higher HOMA values (p = 0.057) and significantly higher triglyceride values (p = 0.029), as well as larger waist and hip circumferences (p<0.001 and p<0.001). However, no significant differences between overweight and obese women were detected for LDL or total cholesterol levels. Overweight and obese women reported similar total energy and macronutrient intakes, but obese women tended to be less physically active (p = 0.081). CONCLUSIONS: Among generally healthy lactating women, obesity as compared to overweight is associated with increased metabolic risk. This cut-off is thus important also in the early postpartum period, and obesity among these women should warrant proper health investigation. Macronutrient intake did not differ between the groups and, hence, cannot explain these differences. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01343238.
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spelling doaj.art-c9529b9ef78549289d63cac1b5d74e9b2022-12-22T03:32:28ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0185e6362910.1371/journal.pone.0063629Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.Anna WinkvistFredrik BertzLars EllegårdIngvar BosaeusHilde K BrekkeBACKGROUND: Obesity and cardiovascular diseases are increasing globally and any association between reproduction and these conditions is of concern. Unfortunately, little is known about normal levels of metabolic risk factors in women of different body mass index throughout the reproductive cycle. This study is one of the first to describe the metabolic risk profile of lactating overweight or obese women at 8-12 weeks postpartum. METHODS: During 2007-2009, 66 overweight or obese Swedish lactating women without known diseases underwent detailed measurements of their metabolic profiles, dietary intake and general health before entering a lifestyle intervention trial. Baseline measurements took place between 8-12 wk postpartum. Almost all women were exclusively breastfeeding their term infants. RESULTS: The women were regarded as healthy, as reflected in the absence of diagnosed diseases, their own perceptions and in normal hemoglobin, albumin and fasting plasma glucose values. Four women were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. In these cases, underlying conditions included large waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol values, high triglyceride values and relatively high blood pressure. The metabolic profile differed between overweight and obese women; obese women had significantly higher levels of fasting insulin (p = 0.017), borderline higher HOMA values (p = 0.057) and significantly higher triglyceride values (p = 0.029), as well as larger waist and hip circumferences (p<0.001 and p<0.001). However, no significant differences between overweight and obese women were detected for LDL or total cholesterol levels. Overweight and obese women reported similar total energy and macronutrient intakes, but obese women tended to be less physically active (p = 0.081). CONCLUSIONS: Among generally healthy lactating women, obesity as compared to overweight is associated with increased metabolic risk. This cut-off is thus important also in the early postpartum period, and obesity among these women should warrant proper health investigation. Macronutrient intake did not differ between the groups and, hence, cannot explain these differences. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01343238.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3646790?pdf=render
spellingShingle Anna Winkvist
Fredrik Bertz
Lars Ellegård
Ingvar Bosaeus
Hilde K Brekke
Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.
PLoS ONE
title Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.
title_full Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.
title_fullStr Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.
title_full_unstemmed Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.
title_short Metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in Sweden.
title_sort metabolic risk profile among overweight and obese lactating women in sweden
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3646790?pdf=render
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AT ingvarbosaeus metabolicriskprofileamongoverweightandobeselactatingwomeninsweden
AT hildekbrekke metabolicriskprofileamongoverweightandobeselactatingwomeninsweden