Objectives: To evaluate weight gain and body composition (BC) in new users of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) as a contraceptive. Methods: This cohort study followed up 20 DMPA users and 20 copper intrauterine device (TCu380A IUD) users, paired for age (±1 year) and body mass index (BMI±1 kg/m2), during 12-months. Healthy, non-obese women aged 18 to 40 years, unaffected by conditions that could influence their body weight, were enrolled. Socio-demographic variables, habits, weight, BMI, BC using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, circumferences, skinfold thickness, body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio were evaluated. All participants were encouraged to adopt healthy habits. Results: At baseline, median age was 29 and 30.5 years, and mean BMI was 24.8 and 24.5 kg/m2 in the DMPA and IUD groups, respectively. At 12 months, an increase was observed in waist and hip circumference in the DMPA users and 8/20 of them had a weight gain ≥5% (mean 4.6 kg) with accumulation of fat centrally. Conclusions There were no differences in weight gain or in BC measurements between the groups; nevertheless 40% of women in the DMPA group had larger weight gain and accumulation of fat centrally. The duration of follow-up may have been insufficient to detect differences between the groups.196432438Fraser, I.S., Weisberg, E., A comprehensive review of injectable contraception with special emphasis on depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (1981) Med J Aust, 1 (1), pp. 3-19Mosher, W.D., Martinez, G.M., Chandra, A., Use of contraception and use of family planning services in the United States: 1982-2002 (2004) Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics, (350), pp. 1-36. , Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health StatisticsBakry, S., Merhi, Z.O., Scalise, T.J., Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate: An update (2008) Arch Gynecol Obstet, 278, pp. 1-12Pelkman, C., Hormones and weight change (2002) J Reprod Med, 47, pp. 791-794Taneepanichskul, S., Reinprayoon, D., Khaosaad, P., Comparative study of weight change between long-term DMPA and IUD acceptors (1998) Contraception, 58, pp. 149-151Clark, M.K., Dillon, J.S., Sowers, M., Weight, fat mass, and central distribution of fat increase when women use depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate for contraception (2005) Int J Obes, 29, pp. 1252-1258Westhoff, C., Jain, J.K., Milsom, I., Changes in weight with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate subcutaneous injection 104 mg/0.65 mL (2007) Contraception, 75, pp. 261-267Berenson, A.B., Rahman, M., Changes in weight, total fat, percent body fat, and central-to-peripheral fat ratio associated with injectable and oral contraceptive use (2009) Am J Obstet Gynecol, 200, pp. 329+e1-8Le, Y.C., Rahman, M., Berenson, A.B., Early weight gain predicting later weight gain among depot medroxyprogesterone acetate users (2009) Obstet Gynecol, 114, pp. 279-284Friendly, M., (1995) SAS System for Statistical Graphics, Version 1.2, 1st Edn., , http://euclid.psych.yorku.ca/SCS/sasmac/, Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc. Accessed 18 April 2014 from: http://euclid.psych.yorku.ca/SCS/sasmac/fpower.ht(2010) Critério de Classificac¸ão Econômica Brasil The Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria, , http://www.abep.org/novo/Utils/FileGenerate.ashx?id=46, Brazilian Association of Research Companies Accessed 18 April 2014 fromFord, E.S., Kohl, H.W., 3rd, Mokdad, A.H., Sedentary behavior, physical activity, and the metabolic syndrome among U.S. adults (2005) Obes Res, 13, pp. 608-614Lohman, T.G., Roche, A.F., Martorell, R., (1991) Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual, 1st Edn., , Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics BooksPhysical status: The use and interpretation of anthropometry (1995) Technical Report Series, (854). , http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_854.pdf?ua=1, Geneva: World Health Organization Accessed 18 April 2014 fromFaulkner, J.A., Physiology of swimming and diving (1968) Exercise Physiology, pp. 415-446. , Falls H, ed. Baltimore: Academic PressAmatayakul, K., Sivasomboon, B., Thanangkul, O., A study of the mechanism of weight gain in medroxyprogesterone acetate users (1980) Contraception, 22, pp. 605-622Vickery, Z., Madden, T., Zhao, Q., Weight change at 12 months in users of three progestin-only contraceptive methods (2013) Contraception, 88, pp. 503-508Pantoja, M., Medeiros, T., Baccarin, M.C., Variations in body mass index of users of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate as a contraceptive (2010) Contraception, 81, pp. 107-111Bonny, A.E., Ziegler, J., Harvey, R., Weight gain in obese and nonobese adolescent girls initiating depot medroxyprogesterone, oral contraceptive pills, or no hormonal contraceptive method (2006) Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 160, pp. 40-45Bonny, A.E., Lange, H.L., Rogers, L.K., A pilot study of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate pharmacokinetics and weight gain in adolescent females (2014) Contraception, 89, pp. 357-360Haider, S., Darney, P.D., Injectable contraception (2007) Clin Obstet Gynecol, 50, pp. 898-906