BODY-COMPOSITION CHANGES DURING LACTATION ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE AMONG WOMEN

Changes in body weight and composition in response to the metabolic lo ad imposed by lactation are highly variable among and within diverse p opulations, In most reports, rates of weight loss did not differ betwe en lactating and nonlactating women, Despite differences in the hormon al milieu between lactating and nonlactating women, only subtle short- term differences were observed in postpartum changes in body compositi on, Regional patterns of fat deposition and mobilization did not diffe r between lactating and nonlactating women in most studies, Changes in body composition during lactation are responses to a sequence of comp lex neuroendocrine and biochemical stimuli that may be significantly m odified by environmental factors, Gestational weight gain was the stro ngest determinant of postpartum weight and fat mass change, which supp orts the premise that biological mechanisms are aimed at restoring pre pregnancy body weight and composition.