Review article: Obesity, waist-hip ratio and hunter-gatherers

THE EVIDENCE FOR LATE-ONSET PRE-ECLAMPSIA AS A MATERNOGENIC DISEASE OF PREGNANCY

It is our opinion that the evidence from epidemiological observations, clinical trials and biological studies is strong enough to support the view of different origin and phenotypes of pre-eclampsia: placental, which usually occurs (but not exclusively) early in pregnancy and is associated with poor early placentation of different severity with subsequent restriction of foetal growth, at different stages of gestation; and maternogenic, which generally occurs late in pregnancy and it is not related to placental insufficiency and foetal growth restriction.

Body Mass Index, Weight Gain during Pregnancy and Obstetric Outcomes

OBJECTIVES

To find out the effects of pregnancy weight gain in different body mass index (BMI) groups on maternal and neonatal outcomes in women delivering singletons at term.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of clinical records of patients attending antenatal clinics and delivering in hospital from January 1st 1992 to December 31st 2009.

SETTING

A private specialist hospital.

METHODS

The records of patients starting antenatal care in the first trimester, attending at least four clinics and delivering singletons from 37 completed weeks up to 42 weeks gestation were analysed. Patients' booking gestational age, height, weight and obstetric and neonatal outcomes at delivery were noted.

RESULTS

The total number of deliveries was 2,391 out of which 1755 (72.4%) were analysed. The overweight and obese group compared to the normal were significantly older, shorter, weighed more at booking and gained more weight during pregnancy. The overweight or obese were significantly more likely to have induction of labour and be delivered by caesarean section compared to the normal. Maternal and neonatal outcomes which were more significant in the overweight and obese were macrosomia, stillbirth, perineal trauma, post-partum haemorrhage and retained placenta.

CONCLUSIONS

Most deliveries in the two BMI groups resulted in normal weight babies. Overweight and Obesity is associated with significantly increased incidence of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. It is recommended that further studies involving larger samples comparable to those done in western countries are carried out.

Men's preferences for women's profile waist-to-hip ratio, breast size, and ethnic group in Britain and South Africa

One particular aspect of the literature on preferences for female body shapes has focused on the purported universality of preferences for a low waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), despite substantial evidence of cross-cultural variability in such preferences. In the present study, we examined the effects of manipulating women's profile WHR, breast size, and ethnicity on men's ratings of physical attractiveness and health. A total of 51 African men in South Africa, 56 British Africans, and 114 British Caucasians rated 12 line drawings that varied in two levels of ethnicity, three levels of WHR, and two levels of breast size. Overall, the results suggested that there were cross-cultural differences in preferred body shape, with the preferred body configuration varying as a function of the ethnicity of the figure being rated. In addition, there was a strong positive correlation between ratings of attractiveness and health. These findings are discussed in relation to the interplay between culture and evolution in determining ideals of attractiveness.