Mothers who breastfeed have a lower long-term risk of developing a collection of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease than women who bottle-feed their babies.
Mothers who breastfeed have a lower long-term risk of developing a collection of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease than women who bottle-feed their babies.
Breast feeding has always been associated with health benefits for mothers as well as the child. To look into the association of breastfeeding and risk of metabolic syndrome (a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes), researchers identified 704 women aged between 18 and 30 years, free of metabolic syndrome at the outset of the study, and who gave birth for the first time during the study period. Over 20 years of follow-up, 120 women were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
It was found that among women with no history of gestational diabetes, those who had breastfed for more than one month were anywhere from 40 percent to 55 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Among women with a history of gestational diabetes, breastfeeding for more than one month was linked to a 45 percent to 85 percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome. These lower risks were seen even when a number of important factors were taken into account including women's weight, exercise levels and the presence of any metabolic syndrome components before pregnancy.
It is not yet clear why breastfeeding itself might lower a woman's chances of developing risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. Abdominal obesity is one of the components of metabolic syndrome, and excess weight is closely linked to type 2 diabetes. But while it's widely thought that breastfeeding aids post-pregnancy weight loss, weight changes did not explain the benefits seen in this study.
These above findings suggest that breastfeeding might help diminish that excess risk. However, more research is needed to see whether that translates into lower rates of diabetes and heart disease.
Breast feeding has always been associated with health benefits for mothers as well as the child. To look into the association of breastfeeding and risk of metabolic syndrome (a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes), researchers identified 704 women aged between 18 and 30 years, free of metabolic syndrome at the outset of the study, and who gave birth for the first time during the study period. Over 20 years of follow-up, 120 women were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
It was found that among women with no history of gestational diabetes, those who had breastfed for more than one month were anywhere from 40 percent to 55 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Among women with a history of gestational diabetes, breastfeeding for more than one month was linked to a 45 percent to 85 percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome. These lower risks were seen even when a number of important factors were taken into account including women's weight, exercise levels and the presence of any metabolic syndrome components before pregnancy.
It is not yet clear why breastfeeding itself might lower a woman's chances of developing risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. Abdominal obesity is one of the components of metabolic syndrome, and excess weight is closely linked to type 2 diabetes. But while it's widely thought that breastfeeding aids post-pregnancy weight loss, weight changes did not explain the benefits seen in this study.
These above findings suggest that breastfeeding might help diminish that excess risk. However, more research is needed to see whether that translates into lower rates of diabetes and heart disease.
COMMENT
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
