Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Intra-abdominal adipose tissue deposition and parity

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, pages 1119–1124 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the relationship between body composition/fat distribution and parity after adjusting for potential confounders: age, smoking, and physical activity.

Design:

Cross-sectional.

Subjects:

A total of 170 Caucasian women between the ages of 18 and 76 years, who were non-smokers with no cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic, or endocrine disorders.

Measurements:

Physical activity assessment (Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire), anthropometric measures, and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography).

Results:

Although percent body fat was related to parity (r=0.26, P<0.01), after adjusting for age, physical activity index, and smoking, the parity–percent body fat relationship was no longer significant. Multiple regression analysis for modeling intra-abdominal adipose tissue demonstrated that parity and intra-abdominal adipose tissue were significantly related after adjusting for percent body fat, physical activity index, and smoking (partial r=0.18, P=0.02, unstandardized β=5.22±2.26, intercept=−37.32±24.63).

Conclusion:

Our data suggest that intra-abdominal adipose tissue increases with increasing parity, even after adjusting for potential confounders: age, percent body fat, physical activity, and smoking.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. CDC. Morbidity and mortality weekly report; prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults with diagnosed diabetes-United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2002. U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO): Washington, DC 2002; mmwrq@cdc.gov.

  2. Herber D . The first name in women's health. http://www.drdonnica.com/guests/00001175.htm Accessed: March 2005.

  3. Linne Y, Dye L, Barkeling B, Rossner S . Weight development over time in parous women – SPAWN study – 15 years follow-up. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2003; 27: 1516–1522.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Davis SR . Identifying and promoting the specific nutrition and physical activity needs of women aged 40 and over. Summary Med J Aust 2000; 173 (Suppl 6 November): S89–S111.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gunderson EP, Lewis CE, Murtaugh MA, Quesenberry CP, West DS, Sidney S . Long-term plasma lipid changes associated with a first birth. The CARDIA study. Am J Epidemiol 2004; 159: 1028–1039.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Smith DE, Lewis CE, Caveny JL, Perkins LL, Burke GL, Bild DE . Longitudinal changes in adiposity associated with pregnancy. The CARDIA study. Coronary artery risk development in young adults. JAMA 1994; 271: 1747–1751.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Williamson DF, Madams J, Pamuk E, Flegal KM, Kendrick JS, Serdula MK . A prospective study if childbearing and 10-year weight gain in US white women 25–45 years of age. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1994; 18: 561–569.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Soltani H, Frazer RB . A longitudinal study of maternal anthropometric changes in normal weight, overweight and obese women during pregnancy and postpartum. Br J Nutri 2000; 84: 95–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sohlstrom A, Forsum E . Changes in adipose tissue volume and distribution during reproduction in Swedish women as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 61: 287–295.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Baecke JAH, Burema J, Fritters ER . A short questionnaire for the measurement of habitual physical activity in epidemiological studies. Am J Clin Nutr 1982; 36: 936–942.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Jacobs DR, Ainsworth BE, Harman TJ, Leon AS . A simultaneous evaluation of 10 commonly used physical activity questionnaires. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1993; 25: 81–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Mahoney M, Freedson P . Assessment of physical activity from caltrac and Baecke questionnaire techniques. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1990; 22: S80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kvist H, Chowdhury B, Grangård U, Tylén U, Sjöström L . Total and visceral adipose-tissue volumes derived from measurements with computed tomography in adult men and women: predictive equations. Am J Clin Nutr 1988; 48: 1351–1361.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Borkan GA, Genzof SG, Robbins AH, Hults DE, Silbert CK, Silbert JE . Assessment of abdominal fat content by computed tomography. Am J Clin Nutr 1982; 36: 172–177.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Toth MJ, Tchernof A, Sites CK, Poehlman ET . Menopause-related changes in body fat distribution. Ann NY Acad Sci 2000; 904: 502–506.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. den Tonkelaar I, Seidell JC, van Noord PAH, Baanders-van Halewijn EA, Ouwehand IJ . Fat distribution in relation to age, degree of obesity, smoking habits, parity and estrogen use: a cross-sectional study in 11 825 Dutch women participating in the DOM-Project. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1990; 14: 753–761.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Weinsier RL, Hunter GR, Desmond RA, Byrne NM, Zuckerman PA, Darnell BE . Free-living activity energy expenditure in women successful and unsuccessful at maintaining a normal body weight. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 75: 499–504.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schoeller DA, Shay K, Kushner RF . How much physical activity is needed to minimize weight gain in previously obese women? Am J Clin Nutr 1997; 66: 551–556.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bamia C, Trichopoulou A, Lenas D, Trichopoulos D . Tobacco smoking in relation to body fat mass and distribution in a general population sample. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2004; 28: 1091–1096.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Visser M, Launer LJ, Deurenberg P, Deeg DJ . Past and current smoking in relation to body fat distribution in older men and women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1999; 54: M293–M298.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Barrett-Connor E, Khaw KT . Cigarette smoking and increased central adiposity. Ann Intern Med 1989; 111: 783–787.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lawlor DA, Emberson JR, Ebrahim S, Whincup PH, Wannamethee SG, Walker M et al. Is the association between parity and coronary heart disease due to biological effects of pregnancy or adverse lifestyle risk factors associated with child-rearing? Findings from the British women's heart and health study and the British regional heart study. Circulation 2003; 107: 1260–1264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ness RB, Schotland HM, Flegal KM, Shofer FS . Reproductive history and coronary heart disease risk in women. Epidemiol Rev 1994; 16: 298–314.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Dekker JM, Schouten EG . Number of pregnancies and risk of cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 1993; 329: 1893–1894.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Humphries KH, Westendorp ICD, Bots ML, Spinelli JJ, Carere RG, Hofman A et al. Parity and carotid artery atherosclerosis in elderly women. The Rotterdam Study. Stroke 2001; 32: 2259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Russo J, Moral R, Balogh GA, Mailo D, Russo IH . The protective role of pregnancy in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2005; 7: 131–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Veronesi U, Boyle P, Goldhirsch A, Orecchia R, Viale G . Breast cancer. Lancet 2005; 365: 1727–1741.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Epel E, McEwen B, Seeman T, Matthews K, Castellazzo G, Brownell K et al. Can stress shape your body? Consistently greater stress-induced cortisol secretion among women with abdominal fat. Psychosom Med 2000; 62: 623–632.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Larson DE, Hunter GR, Williams MJ, Kekes-Szabo T, Nyikos I, Goran MI . Dietary fat in relation to body fat and intraabdominal adipose tissue: a cross-sectional analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 1996; 64: 787–788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Wannamethee SG, Shaper AG . Lifelong teetotallers, ex-drinkers and drinkers: mortality and the incidence of major coronary heart disease events in middle-aged British men. Int J Epidemiol 1997; 26: 523–531.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Dallongeville J, Marecaux N, Ducimetiere P, Ferrieres J, Arveile D, Bingham A et al. Influence of alcohol consumption and various beverages on waist girth and waist-to-hip ratio in a sample of French men and women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998; 22: 1178–1183.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Austin MA . The Kaiser–Permanente women twins study data set. Genet Epidemiol 1993; 10: 519–522.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Laitinen J, Pietilainen K, Wadsworth M, Sovio U, Jarvelin M-R . Predictors of abdominal obesity among 31-y-old men and women born in Northern Finland in 1966. Eur J Clin Nutr 2004; 58: 180–190.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Studies and Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    T E Blaudeau, G R Hunter & B Sirikul

Authors
  1. T E Blaudeau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G R Hunter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B Sirikul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T E Blaudeau.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Blaudeau, T., Hunter, G. & Sirikul, B. Intra-abdominal adipose tissue deposition and parity. Int J Obes 30, 1119–1124 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803252

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803252

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links