Original Article
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009) 63, 1185–1191; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.49; published online 24 June 2009
Pregnancy-related changes in activity energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate in Switzerland
Contributors: All authors participated in the study design. KM performed the recruitment of the subjects, the data collection, the statistical analysis and drafted the paper. YS, MB and BK provided expert advice on data interpretation and drafting of the paper. All authors approved the final version.
K Melzer1, Y Schutz2, M Boulvain3 and B Kayser1
- 1Institute of Movement Sciences and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- 2Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Correspondence: Professor B Kayser, Institute of Movement Sciences and Sports Medicine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Genève, 10 rue du Conseil Général, 1205 Genève, Switzerland. E-mail: bengt.kayser@unige.ch
Received 24 February 2009; Revised 15 May 2009; Accepted 16 May 2009; Published online 24 June 2009.
Abstract
Background/Objectives:
To measure resting metabolic rate (RMR), activity energy expenditure (AEE), total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity pattern, that is, duration and intensity (in metabolic equivalents, METs) of activities performed in late pregnancy compared with postpartum in healthy, well-nourished women living in Switzerland.
Subjects/Methods:
Weight, height, RMR, AEE, TEE and physical activity patterns were measured longitudinally in 27 healthy women aged 23–40 years at 38.2
1.5 weeks of gestation and 40.07.2 weeks postpartum.
Results:
The RMR during late pregnancy was 7480 kJ per day, that is, 1320760 kJ per day (21.4%) higher than the postpartum RMR (P<0.001). Absolute changes in RMR were positively correlated with the corresponding changes in body weight (r=0.61, P<0.001). RMR per kg body weight was similar in late pregnancy vs postpartum (P=0.28). AEE per kg during pregnancy and postpartum was 4013 and 5020 kJ/kg, respectively (P=0.001). There were significant differences in daily time spent at METs<1.5 (1067 vs 998 min, P=0.045), at 2.5
METs <3.0 (58 vs 82 min, P=0.002) and METs
6 (1 vs 6 min, P=0.014) during pregnancy and postpartum, respectively.
Conclusions:
Energy expenditure in healthy women living in Switzerland increases in pregnancy compared with the postpartum state. Additional energy expenditure is primarily attributed to an increase in RMR, which is partly compensated by a decrease in AEE. The decrease in physical activity-related energy costs is achieved by selecting less demanding activities and should be taken into account when defining extra energy requirements for late pregnancy in Switzerland.
Keywords:
pregnancy, energy expenditure, requirements, physical activity, exercise
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