American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 38, 369-376, Copyright © 1983 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Energy expenditure of pregnant women at rest or walking self-paced

LE Nagy and JC King

Energy expenditure during rest and self-paced walking was determined from early to late pregnancy either longitudinally or in a cross- section of women. The cross-sectional study was done with 16 women confined to a metabolic unit: six nonpregnant (NP), six early pregnant (EP 10 to 20 wk gestation), and four late pregnant (LP 30 to 40 wk gestation). In the longitudinal study, five of the six EP subjects from the cross-sectional study were studied at 5-wk intervals until parturition. Basal metabolic rate, measured by open circuit, indirect calorimetry, and expressed as kcal/min, was 13% greater (p less than 0.05) in EP compared to NP and was 28% greater (p less than 0.05) in LP compared to EP. Resting metabolism increased during gestation in the EP group from a value of 1.01 kcal/min at 15 to 25 wk to 1.15 kcal/min at 35 to 40 wk. When energy expenditure during rest is expressed as kcal/kg body weight/h, there were no significant differences due to stage of pregnancy. The time required for the women to walk 400 m at their own pace was measured. The pace of the LP women was 20% slower (p less than 0.05) than the EP women. But when the EP women were studied at 35 and 40 wk gestation their pace was only 4.5% slower than that at 15 to 25 wk. These data suggest that individual behavioral differences have a greater effect on pace than stage of gestation. A decrease in pace reduced the rate of energy expenditure per kilogram body weight for walking 400 m. But, body weight, rather than pace, was the major determinant of total energy expenditure for the walk (p less than 0.05). It is apparent from these data that body weight is the major determinant of energy expenditure during rest and self-paced weight bearing activity in pregnancy.