Duration of lactation associated with lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome in midlife, parous women
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The metabolic drain resulting from lactation is associated with post-partally increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, decreased triglycerides and increased insulin sensitivity, all three associated with the metabolic syndrome phenotype. This cross-sectional cohort analysis of 2,516 parous, midlife women was aimed to evaluate whether duration of lactation was associated with lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome in midlife. Among the study population, 1,620 (64.4%) women reported a history of breast-feeding, with average lifetime duration of lactation of 1.16 years. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that women with prior lactation had significantly lower odds of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.99). Moreover, increasing duration of lactation was also associated with lower odds of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99). A threshold for such effects was observed between the third and fourth pregnancies. In conclusion, duration of lactation appears to be associated, in a dose-dependent manner, with lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome in midlife, parous women.
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