The effect of breast-feeding and artificial feeding on body-weights, skinfold measurements and food intakes of forty-two primiparous women
Naismith, D.J.; Ritchie, C.D.
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 34(3): 116a-117a
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-6651 PMID: 1208488 Document Number: 84242
42 healthy primiparous women were studied, of which (i) 22 breast-fed and (ii) 20 bottle-fed their infants during the 1st 3 months post partum. Average body wt. gain of (i) and (ii) during pregnancy was respectively 13.2 plus or minus 0.75 and 13.9 plus or minus 0.83 kg. Both (i) and (ii) showed significant wt. losses over the 3-month study period during which time daily energy intakes of (i) and (ii) were respectively 2930 plus or minus 106 and 2070 plus or minus 127 kcal. It is concluded that breast-feeding does induce catabolism of body fat even when energy intakes exceed the recommended daily intake for lactation (2700 kcal).