ABSTRACT
This chapter presents current nutrition recommendations on topics of concern as it relates to women's health. It focuses mainly on weight, because it is a risk factor, ranging from pregnancy complications to diabetes, heart disease, and breast cancer. Among the factors that may contribute to the incidence of overweight/obesity in women are cultural/ethnic/racial attitudes. In some cultures, female obesity is a positive attribute for marriage and fertility. McCarthy proposed that a "women's pursuit of thinness" may be a key factor that explains the parallel of eating disorders and depression in women. Menstruation is a milestone in the life-span as it represents the female transition into womanhood, preparing the body for childbearing. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women during their child-bearing years. For women pregnant with three or more fetuses, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has not released weight gain guidelines.
