Fat and female fecundity: prospective study of effect of body fat distribution on conception rates.

Zaadstra, B.M.; Seidell, Jacob C.; Noord, P.A.H. van; Velde, Egbert R. te; Habbema, J. Dik F.; Vrieswijk, B.; Karbaat, J

doi:10.1136/bmj.306.6876.484

Cited by 553 publications

(278 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Besides, high body fat mass is also associated with infertility. 8 Therefore, we consider a change in fat metabolism during the first pregnancy to be a more likely explanation. Indeed, the first pregnancy is unique.…”

Section: First Pregnancy and Fat Deposition H Friis Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the first pregnancy precipitate age-related fat deposition?

et al. 2002

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Excessive accumulation of fat in women of childbearing age is a concern, since obesity is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Deposition of fat during pregnancy, which is not metabolized during lactation, may contribute. However, the individual effects of age and gravidity on fat accumulation have not been disentangled. Based on multiple linear regression analysis of anthropometric data from 1113 pregnant women from Zimbabwe, we found evidence to suggest that fat deposition is an effect of age rather than gravidity that is precipitated by the first pregnancy. International Journal of Obesity (2002) 26, 1274 -1276. doi:10.1038=sj.ijo.0802074Keywords: pregnancy; age; fat deposition; obesity Understanding the role of pregnancy in the etiology of obesity is important, since obesity is an important cause of morbidity and mortality from chronic disease. 1 Despite colinearity of age and gravidity, it is generally assumed that fat accumulates with age due to fat retention after pregnancies. We attempted to disentangle the effects of age and gravidity based on anthropometric data from HIV-uninfected women registering for antenatal care in Harare, Zimbabwe. Permission was obtained from Medical Research Council, Zimbabwe. The study population has previously been described. 2,3 Anthropometric measurements were taken with the women barefoot and wearing light clothing. Height and weight were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.1 kg, respectively. Triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) was measured to the nearest 0.1 mm in the midline of the posterior aspect of the left mid-upper arm. At the same level, the arm circumference (AC) was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm without compressing the tissue. Body mass index (BMI), arm muscle area (AMA) and arm fat area (AFA) were calculated, using the formulae: BMI ¼ weight=height 2 (kg=m 2 ), AMA ¼ (AC 7 (TSFÁ p)) 2 =(4 Á p) (cm 2 ) and AFA ¼ [AC 2 =(4 Á p)] 7 AMA (cm 2 ), as previously described. 4 ANOVA was used to compare means between groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test for interactions between age and gravidity, and to estimate the statistical effects of age and gravidity on body weight, AFA and AMA, while controlling for height and gestational age. When interactions were identified, then interaction terms were computed to estimate the effect of age for each level of gravidity.Of 1669 women examined, 1113 were found to be HIVuninfected. The mean gestational age was 29.2 (22 -35) weeks. The mean age was 24 (range 14 -45) y: 46.5% were primigravidae (mean age 20.4 (range 14 -40) y), 23.8% secundigravidae (23.6 (16 -35) y), 14.6% tertiogravidae (26.9 (20 -40) y), and 15.2% multigravidae (4 þ 32.2 (20 -45) y). Compared to data from a study among pregnant US women, 5 the mean AMA was similar (38 vs 38 cm 2 ), whereas the mean AFA was lower (21 vs 27 cm 2 ). Anthropometric variables were compared over categories of gestational age, age and gravidity (Table 1). AFA declined with gestational age. All anthropometric variables, except height, increased with age a...

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Section: First Pregnancy and Fat Deposition H Friis Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the first pregnancy precipitate age-related fat deposition?

et al. 2002

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“…34 Also, in a Dutch prospective study on arti®cial insemination, a 0.1 unit increase in WHR led to a 30% decrease in probability of conception, after controlling for many interfering variables. 35 The conclusion from Singh's studies on Western populations is that body fat and its distribution plays a crucial role in judgements of female attractiveness, health, youthfulness, and reproductive potential. The suggestion is not that shape as evinced by WHR is the only factor in mate selection but one involved in the initial stages,`a ®rst wide pass ®lter'.…”

Section: Fertilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The beneficial effects of body fat and adipose tissue in humans*

Norgan

1997

Int J Obes

103

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Body fat and adipose tissue are considered to have bene®cial effects when they promote or protect the present and future function. These effects do not occur at absolute amounts or percentages of the body weight but rather they are context speci®c. Body fat stores are the major energy stores of the body and are important determinants of survival in starvation or undernutrition. Reproduction features highly as a biological function. Humans are alone in having major sex-speci®c fat stores and patterns of fat distribution 1 and these have been linked with the onset and maintenance of menstruation, with mate selection and sexual signalling, and with favourable pregnancy and lactation outcomes. To survive and reproduce good physical and psychological health are advantageous attributes. Work metabolism, bone health and, possibly immune function and energy balance itself, are related in functionally bene®cial ways to fat content and distribution.

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“…8) and infertility in women. 9,10 It has been suggested that a WHR exceeding certain cut-off points (0.95 for men and 0.80 for women) implies an increased cardiovascular health risk. 11 The abdominal fatness appears to increase with age among both genders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alarmingly high prevalence of obesity in Curaçao: data from an interview survey stratified for socioeconomic status

et al. 1997

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OBJECTIVE: The aim of the article is to report the prevalence of obesity, abdominal fatness and waist circumference in different socioeconomic classes in Curac Ë ao. DESIGN: In 1993/1994 a health interview survey (the Curac Ë ao Health Study) was carried out among a random sample (n 2248, response rate 85%) of the adult non-institutionalized population of Curac Ë ao. METHODS: We analyzed the association between obesity (BMI ! 30), abdominal fatness (waist hip ratio (WHR) ! 0.95 for men, WHR ! 0.80 for women) waist circumference (WC ! 100 cm for men, WC ! 91 cm for women) and socioeconomic status (SES) by age adjusted logistic regressions, for men and women separately. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity was about 27%: 36% of the women and 19% of the men were obese. An at risk WHR was reported among 62.2% of the women and among 20.4% of the men. A WC above the cut-off point was reported for 44.3% women and 25.3% men. Compared to women of higher SES, the lower SES women have a two to three times higher risk of a BMI, WHR or WC exceeding the cut-off points. Among men, no statistically signi®cant difference between an increased BMI, WHR or WC and SES factors was found. The overlap between the three measures is large, about 56% of the women scored similarly on all three measurements. Among men the overlap is even greater (73%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of obesity in Curac Ë ao is alarming. Low SES women are at the greatest risk of an increased BMI, WHR or WC. The obesity ®gures can be placed between industrialized societies and less modernized cultures. Action and additional research on the prevention of obesity in Curac Ë ao are deemed necessary. The cut-off points in our study for WC in the non-white population are preliminary and need to be elucidated further.

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Fat and female fecundity: prospective study of effect of body fat distribution on conception rates.

Cited by 553 publications

References 14 publications

Does the first pregnancy precipitate age-related fat deposition?

Does the first pregnancy precipitate age-related fat deposition?

The beneficial effects of body fat and adipose tissue in humans*

Alarmingly high prevalence of obesity in Curaçao: data from an interview survey stratified for socioeconomic status

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