Table 4.
Difference in maternal segmental body composition changes between early pregnancy and 4 months postpartum according to infant feeding practices (n 467), Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| Formula-feeding (n 167) | Partial breast-feeding (n 114) | Exclusive breast-feeding (n 186) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | Range | Mean | Range | Mean | Range | P value* | |
| Right arm fat (kg) | +0·001 | −1·0 to 0·8 | +0·02 | −0·5 to 0·7 | +0·05 | −0·5 to 0·8 | NS |
| Right arm fat (%) | −1·02 | −12·8 to 9·9 | −1·1 | −12·6 to 8·3 | −0·2 | −14·0 to 17·3 | NS |
| Left arm fat (kg) | −0·01 | −1·2 to 1·0 | +0·01 | −0·4 to 0·7 | +0·04 | −0·7 to 1·0 | NS |
| Left arm fat (%) | −1·3 | −12·5 to 10·4 | −1·2 | −12·6 to 10·6 | −0·5 | −16·1 to 11·6 | NS |
| Right leg fat (kg) | +0·2 | −3·6 to 4·1 | +0·4 | −3·5 to 3·5 | +0·3 | −2·3 to 5·0 | NS |
| Right leg fat (%) | +1·3 | −18·8 to 33·0 | +2·5 | −23·2 to 31·4 | +1·9 | −20·1 to 37·9 | NS |
| Left leg fat (kg) | +0·2 | −5·7 to 3·0 | +0·3 | −2·8 to 3·1 | +0·4 | −2·3 to 3·8 | NS |
| Left leg fat (%) | +1·0 | −31·6 to 26·5 | +1·7 | −18·7 to 25·1 | +2·0 | −17·4 to 29·0 | NS |
| Trunk fat (kg) | −0·01 | −5·4 to 7·4 | +0·005 | −4·8 to 5·2 | +0·3 | −5·4 to 5·7 | NS |
| Trunk fat (%) | −0·6 | −10·9 to 13·9 | −0·8 | −14·4 to 8·7 | +0·1 | −17·0 to 14·7 | NS |
*P value testing for significant difference between formula-feeding and exclusive breast-feeding using Mann–Whitney U test.