@article{article_1532123, title={Evaluation of the Differences in the Body Composition of Childbearing and Non-Childbearing Women}, journal={Eurasian Research in Sport Science}, volume={10}, pages={18–30}, year={2025}, DOI={10.29228/ERISS.53}, author={Odabaş, İlhan and Akın, Gökçe}, keywords={Childbirth, body composition, BMI, waist circumferences, sum of trunk skinfolds, sum of extremity skinfolds.}, abstract={The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in body composition between parous and nulliparous women and to investigate whether giving birth influences body structure. This descriptive cross-sectional and prospective study included 806 women aged 25-50 who attended a health club between 2006 and 2016. While 375 of the participants had children, 431 did not. Personal information such as age, parity, exercise and health history were collected. All anthropometric measurements including height, subcutaneous fat thickness and circumference were performed according to the Heat & Carter Anthropometric Reference Manual. Body composition (% fat, fat weight (kg), lean body weight (kg) was measured using a Tanita MC-980A brand bioelectrical impedance device. Body mass index (weight/(height)²), sum of trunk skinfold thickness taken from four regions (chest (mm), subscapula(mm), suprailiac (mm), abdomen (mm)), sum of extremity skinfold thickness taken from four regions (biceps (mm), triceps (mm), thigh (mm), calf (mm)), waist circumference (cm) and waist-hip ratio (waist circumference / hip circumference) were calculated. Statistical analyzes were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 24. Independent Samples T-test was used to compare body composition components of parous and nulliparous women. Relationships between variables were evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis. Differences between parous and nulliparous women in terms of % fat, fat weight, total trunk skinfold, total extremity skinfold, BMI, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio were assessed using basic linear regression analysis. Significant differences were found between women who have given birth and those who have not in terms of age, weight, % fat, fat weight, BMI, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, sum of trunk skinfolds, and sum of extremity skinfolds (p<0.05). In the regression model, childbirth had a weak yet significant positive effect on % fat (R²=0.38), fat weight (R²=0.31), and BMI (R²=0.23) (p<0.05). The study concludes that childbirth significantly affects women’s body composition compared to women who have not given birth.}, number={1}, publisher={Marmara University}