Changes in autonomic nervous system activity, body weight, and percentage fat mass in the first year postpartum and factors regulating the return to pre-pregnancy weight

Abstract

BackgroundMany women become obese during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Weight gain and obesity in the general population are often attributed to abnormalities of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. The aim of this study was to clarify change in ANS activity, body weight, percentage fat mass (%FM), and body mass index (BMI) and the factors regulating the return to the pre-pregnancy weight in the first year postpartum.MethodsThis study was conducted from 2012 to 2016 at the University Hospital of the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and a nearby obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Japan. Body weight and %FM were measured in 51 women using a dual-frequency body composition measuring device. Heart rate variability and R–R spectral transformation were used as indicators of ANS activity. All parameters were calculated at three postpartum time points. Repeated measure analysis of variance was used for comparisons between measurement times. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was conducted to determine factors associated with the return to pre-pregnancy weight.ResultsMean body weight, %FM, and BMI decreased significantly over time after delivery (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001). However, ANS activity did not differ among subjects in the three time points. 25.5 % of subjects had still not returned to their pre-pregnancy body weight by 150–270 days postpartum, and 19.6 % had not by 270–360 days postpartum. Normal-weight obesity (NWO; BMI of 18.5–25 kg/m2 and %FM of ≥30 %) was observed in several subjects at each measurement. The results of analysis using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model suggest that ANS activity had no significant correlation with the return to pre-pregnancy weight.ConclusionsThe management of body weight and %FM after delivery is considered important. These findings suggest that ANS activity is not associated with the return to pre-pregnancy weight, albeit that sample size was small.

Rationale and Design of the STOP-OB Study for Evaluating the Effects of Tofogliflozin and Glimepiride on Fat Deposition in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Treated with Metformin/DPP-4 Inhibitor Dual Therapy

“…Body fat percentages, fat content, fat-free mass, muscle mass, total body water, total body water percentage, bone mass, BMR, BMR level, visceral fat rating, leg muscle rating, and degree of obesity will be measured using the dual cycle several composition DC-430A body composition analyzer (Tanita, Tokyo, Japan), which is the latest model after the DC-320 [ 27 , 28 ]. Plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon will be measured by 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at the following four measurement time points: before glucose intake (pre) and 0.5 h, 1 h, and 2 h after glucose intake.…”

Nėščiųjų ir jaunų negimdžiusių moterų krūtų tūrio, kūno dydžio ir pasyviosios masės lyginamasis tyrimas

“…Tačiau mokslinėje literatūroje neaptikome išsamių studijų, su kuriomis būtų galima palyginti mūsų tyrimų rezultatus, nors atskiri rezultatų fragmentai su jais gali būti lyginami, pavyzdžiui, nėščiųjų antropometriniai rodikliai, pasyviosios kūno masės pokyčiai. Remiantis Vilniaus universiteto mokslininkų nėščiųjų fizinės būklės 1986–1987, 1998 ir 2003–2005 m. tyrimais, kurių rezultatai parodė, kad anksčiau buvęs moterims būdingas „moteriškasis“ kūno tipas (didžiausia riebalinio audinio sankaupa dubens, šlaunų srityje) per 30-ties metų laikotarpį keitėsi ir ryškėjo riebalinio audinio topografija ( 18 , 19 ). Mūsų rezultatai papildo mokslinius tyrimus, kai stebima pasyviosios kūno masės lokalizacijos tendencija į moters viršutinę kūno dalį ( 20 ).…”

The Relationship between Autonomic Regulation of Cardiovascular Function and Body Composition

“…8,9 Research on this topic has included older people 10 and children 11 and focused on conditions such as obesity, 12,13 malnutrition, 14 and pregnancy. 15 In healthy individuals, an increase in the body mass index (BMI) correlates with increased sympathetic activity and lowered parasympathetic activity. 16 The identification of a link between ANS activity and BMI could provide valuable insights into the physiological regulation of body weight (BW) and important clues for the development of effective anti-obesity strategies.…”

“… 8 , 9 Research on this topic has included older people 10 and children 11 and focused on conditions such as obesity, 12 , 13 malnutrition, 14 and pregnancy. 15 …”