Obese Pregnant Women May Not Require Extra Calories

Obese moms-to-be may not require more calories for healthy pregnancies, reveals a new study.

Pregnant women with obesity may not need additional calories for healthy pregnancies, reports a new study.

The Institute of Medicine's guidelines currently advise all pregnant women to increase calorie intake by 340-450 calories/day during their second and third trimesters, regardless of their body size at conception.

Daily Calorie Requirement for Age and Lifestyle
Daily Calorie Requirement for Age and Lifestyle Calculator displays the amount of calories needed daily for different age groups from childhood to old age based on their physical activity.

‘Pregnant mothers are generally advised to increase their calorie intake by 340-450 calories/day. However, a new study suggests that pregnant mothers with obesity may not require extra calories for healthy pregnancies.’
Read More..

Approximately 2/3 of women with obesity at the time of pregnancy will gain more weight than recommended, highlighting a need for evidence-based guidelines to optimize the health of this population and their offspring.

This week in the JCI, Most et al. describe the results of a clinical trial evaluating weight gain and its two primary determinants -- calorie intake and energy expenditure-- in 54 women with obesity throughout their pregnancies.

The study, led by Leanne Redman at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, provides new and important insights into calorie recommendations for pregnant women.

Pregnancy Calorie Intake Calculator
Pregnancy Calorie Intake Calculator is a pregnancy calorie guide and a quick calculator to check calorie intake when you are pregnant. Find out how much energy (calorie) a pregnant woman needs in each trimester.

Most et al.'s results contradict the Institute of Medicine's recommendation that women with obesity should increase calorie intake during pregnancy, showing that mobilization of maternal fat stores provided sufficient energy to support fetal development.

The research team also observed that gestational weight gain due to the increased blood volume, expansion of breast tissue and fetal mass, accounted for the 5-9 kg (11-20 pounds) that the Institute of Medicine advises women with obesity to gain during pregnancy. Therefore, even small increases in daily calorie consumption (~200 calories) led to excess weight gain in these women.

Daily Calorie Requirements
Are you health conscious? If yes, go ahead to find out your approximate daily calorie requirement, which varies depending on the lifestyle and activities. This calculator indicates an approximate calorie requirement for a person having a normal lifestyle.

This study's findings refute the assumption that pregnant women with obesity require excess calorie intake to support a healthy pregnancy, instead suggesting that they would likely benefit from maintaining pre-pregnancy calorie intake and to focus on improving diet quality.

Discussing the results of the trial, Most et al. emphasized that this and other studies of pregnant women with obesity are a crucial step to improving health outcomes associated with gestational weight gain for mothers and babies.

About Pregnancy
Detailed look at Early pregnancy Symptoms and easy health solutions during 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. With an addition of an online pregnancy due date calculator.

Dr. Sarah Comstock of Michigan State University highlights the study's findings and implications in an accompanying commentary article entitled "Time to change weight gain recommendations for pregnant women with obesity," linked below.

Source-Eurekalert