Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy reduces postpartum fat mass in adolescents: A randomized trial

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundPregnancy during adolescence may increase the risk of overweight/obesity. There is evidence that increasing calcium intake, alone or vitamin D‐combined, may favor loss of weight and/or fat mass.ObjectivesWe hypothesized that calcium supplementation during pregnancy reduces excessive fat accumulation during postpartum period. We aimed to investigate the effect of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy on body composition measurements throughout 1 year postpartum in Brazilian adolescents with habitually low calcium intake (~600 mg/day).MethodsAdolescents (14–19 years) were randomly assigned to receive a daily supplement (600 mg of calcium plus 200 UI of cholecalciferol, n = 30) or a placebo (n = 26) from 26 weeks of gestation until parturition. Body composition was determined at 5, 20, and 56 weeks postpartum by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. The effects of intervention group, time point, as well as their interaction were assessed using repeated measures mixed‐effects models.ResultsIn the adjusted analysis, those supplemented showed lower total body mass [mean difference = −3.32 kg; confidence interval (CI) 95% −6.12 to −0.52 kg], trunk (−1.25 kg; CI 95% −2.34 to −0.15 kg), android (−0.29 kg; CI 95% −0.53 to −0.04 kg) and subcutaneous (−0.23 kg; CI 95% −0.43 to −0.03 kg) fat masses. In the supplemented group, BMI and postpartum weight retention significantly decreased from 5 to 20 weeks (−0.90 kg/m2 and −1.76 kg, respectively; p < .05). At 56 weeks, BMI was still lower (−1.22 kg/m2; p < .05) than 5 weeks.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that increasing calcium intake through supplementation in combination with vitamin D contributes to a more pronounced reduction in total body mass overtime, mostly as a consequence of fat mass reductions in central body regions. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01732328.