Chowdhury et al. (2015)
Chowdhury et al. (2015) discuss how studies have projected the role of breastfeeding in maintaining a lower mean body mass index. According to Chowdhury (2015), breastfeeding has a positive impact on the health of people, with obesity being controllable through breastfeeding. Studies have suggested that infants breastfed between six and twelve months show less weight than those subjected to formula. Chowdhury et al. (2015) wanted to determine how breastfeeding affects numerous health outcomes, including diabetes and obesity. Similarly, Tahir et al. (2019) wanted to determine the effects of breastfeeding helps mothers lose pregnancy weight. Likewise, Ronnberg, Hanson, Ostlund, & Nilsson (2016) determine how breastfeeding influences weight retention. These three sources are critically analyzed to determine how breastfeeding influences mean body mass index. Breastfeeding influences both the mother and the baby, whereby babies who are adequately breastfed have lower chances of developing higher mass indexes. Similarly, breastfeeding reducing body weight for mothers, thus reducing the vulnerability to diseases like obesity. Connectedly, this paper examines how breastfeeding affects body mass index.
The pregnancy period for women is characterized by a change in body composition and a rapid weight gain. These conditions are developed by the demands generated by the fetus developing in the womb. For optimal fetal development, Tahir et al., (2019), notes that pregnancy BMI is crucial. Tahir et al. (2019) also establish that 47% of pregnant women experience excessive weight gain during this period. Additionally, 12% to 20% of the American women do not return to their pre-pregnancy body weight and mass after delivery. This study also establishes that at 6 to 18 months, some women weigh more than 5kg compared to their pre-pregnancy weight. These results confirmed the hypothesis of the study, and thus breastfeeding helps in losing the weight gained during pregnancy, a condition that helps control some diseases like diabetes.
Chowdhury et al. (2015), states that Excessive Weight Retention, (PPWR) is linked to vicious cycles of obesity for women in their reproductive phases of life. PPWR then leads to the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and unhealthy pregnancies. Ronnberg et al. (2016), shows that PPWR causes obesity in women. To ascertain this claim, Ronnberg et al. evaluated whether standard care and antenatal intervention can reduce PPWR. Mean mass was compared with different groups, using 267 randomized women. These women were divided into two groups, whereby one group was subjected to antenatal intervention, and the other subjected to standard care. After 16 weeks, the intervention group registered lower PPWR. The study established that antenatal intervention is critical in preventing increased PPWR. The standard care unit registered increased PPWR, which confirmed the study’s hypothesis that PPWR reduces with breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding leads to the loss of fat cells, generated in the body during pregnancy. Fetal development also demands increased calories in the body. During breastfeeding, milk production involves the burning of these calories and fats to attain sufficient milk for feeding the baby. Weight loss is higher within the first six after delivery. In the next three months, a mother loses weight slowly. Thus within nine months after pregnancy, the body mass index reduces significantly. non-breastfeeding mothers reported less weight loss than breastfeeding mother after the one-year evaluation, Ronnberg et al. (2016). Chowdhury et al. (2015) reaffirmed these findings by stating that the lowest BMI was registered for a mother who breastfed after three years. However, this study found no direct correlation between postpartum weight changes and breastfeeding. Gestation weight, age, and numerous factors also contribute significantly to the BMI attained after delivery; thus, the study did not establish the relationship between the study variables.
Ronnberg et al. (2016) also established that breastfeeding is associated with short-term effects on BMI. Comparing between the antenatal intervention and the standard care, this study determined that 0.7kg difference was obtained for intervention. This confirmed the effect of breastfeeding on the BMI of mothers. Women who breastfeed in a complete cycle are more likely to attain reduced BMI. In retention of BMI, women who breastfed for periods of 6 months registered far less retention as compared to women who breastfed for shorter phases.
Tahir et al. (2019) state that pregnancy helps in the mobilization of femoral fat stores and buildup of visceral. These tissues are essential in milk production during lactation. With the rising prolactin levels, lipogenesis increases due to inhibition in the peripheral adipose. The lipase activity surges, which results in more significant weight loss. Additionally, Tahir et al. (2019) also show that the total energy expenditure during breastfeeding is increased by more than 20%. The production of milk requires increased usage of calories, with approximately 500 more kilocalories being neededneeded per day (Tahir et al. 2019). Mothers have to increase the intake of energy, and a failure to do this results in an increased expenditure of the body calories. The result, as Tahir et al. stipulate it is a reduction in BMI. However, despite causing a decrease in mothers, studies suggest that breastfeeding for six months causes an increase in the BMI of the baby. Children subjected to prolonged breastfeeding phases have higher BMIs and have higher immunity to diseases, as shown in Chowdhury et al. (2015).