👤 Lars Brodowski

During a normal pregnancy, the body undergoes several physiological adaptations, and a woman's body weight and size change rapidly over a short period of time. Pregnancy may be associated with increased susceptibility to developing body image dissatisfaction, which can have negative consequences for the mother (e.g., depression, eating disorders) and the child (e.g., childhood obesity). Women who were already overweight/obese prepregnancy appear to be particularly at risk, as they are often dissatisfied with their body image already before pregnancy. This study aims to investigate the relationship between prepregnancy overweight/obesity, gestational weight gain (GWG), and body image as assessed immediately after birth. This is a cross-sectional observational study. Body image was assessed in healthy pregnant women (N = 197) using the German version of the Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS-G). Univariate analyses of variance and hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between prepregnancy weight, GWG, and the subscales of the BIPS-G. Additionally, a latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted. Overall, women with prepregnancy obesity and GWG above recommendations were more dissatisfied with certain aspects of their body image during pregnancy. The strongest association was found between prepregnancy obesity and the subscale preoccupation with appearance. The LPA revealed three distinct profiles. Women with obesity and overweight and with GWG above recommendations were more likely to have a profile characterized by increased body image concerns during pregnancy. It is important to implement psychological, behavioral, and weight-related interventions in women who are already overweight and obese prior to pregnancy. Show less

The biochemical and anthropometric consequences of metabolic disorders exert an enormous effect on the functioning of people worldwide. The aim of this study is to assess relationships between biochemical and anthropometric parameters associated with metabolic syndrome, and the presence of the PPAR-γ rs1801282, the FTO rs9939609, and the MC4R rs17782313 polymorphisms in women aged 45-60. The study included 425 women, aged 45-59 years, from the general population of the West Pomeranian Province in north-west Poland. The research procedure involved a structured interview, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, biochemical analysis of serum, and genetic analysis. The carriers of the A/A genotype of the FTO polymorphism had higher LDL levels than their counterparts with the T/T genotype (p = 0.01). The carriers of the T/T genotype of the MC4R polymorphism had lower non-HDL levels than those with the C/C and C/T genotypes (p = 0.019). Weight was related to the C/C and the C/G + G/G genotypes of the PPAR-γ gene polymorphism (p = 0.046). The model of inheritance for the MC4R polymorphism had a significant effect on TG (p = 0.039) and non-HDL (p = 0.05) levels. The genotypes analyzed in the study had only a slight direct effect on the biochemical and anthropometric abnormalities typical of metabolic disorders. Nonetheless, the risk alleles (A allele of the FTO rs9939609 and the C allele of the MC4R rs17782313) were found to be related to lipid metabolism disorders in 45-60-year-old women. Show less