Breast Feeding As a Prophylaxis in Preventing Metabolic Syndrome in New Mothers

Help Address Metabolic Syndrome post pregnancy - Just one more vital reason, to encourage and promote Breast-feeding.

Preliminary findings in a recent study on Diabetes and Breast-feeding showed that breast feeding aids by protecting the mother from Metabolic Syndrome.

As we all know Metabolic Syndrome is a group of risk factors that includes abdominal obesity, decreased ability to process glucose (leading to increase in blood glucose) and /or insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. It is sometimes referred to as syndrome X, Insulin resistance syndrome or even Obesity syndrome. People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and or Coronary heart disease, in midlife and predict an early death. It is significant to note that Metabolic Syndrome affects people in the age range of 20-59 yrs and so they are susceptible to develop it during their childbearing years. Therefore another screening maybe warranted, post delivery to bring in primary prevention and save many a life. 

The study in brief
A multi-center, population-based US cohort study on 1,399 nulliparous women (no children yet) between 18 - 30 years free from Metabolic syndrome were the subjects. They were examined subsequently before their pregnancies and at 7,10,15 and 20 yrs respectively after the 1st examination. The criteria used to identify cases of metabolic syndrome were those spelled out by the US National Cholesterol Education Program.

Of the 704 women who had children, 84 had gestational diabetes. The study also showed an average of 22% of women who had gestational diabetes and 11% who had no gestational diabetes were subsequently seen to have Metabolic Syndrome.    

Increasing or extending the duration of lactation from zero to 1 month through 9 months or more of breast-feeding showed a significant reduction in metabolic syndrome rates. This very clearly brought home the fact that longer duration of breastfeeding was found to have lasting and positive effects in lowering the incidence of Metabolic Syndrome and thereby reducing a woman's risk factors for developing diabetes or heart disease later on. This was much more apparent in women who had had gestational diabetes however much more work needs to not only support the findings but also clearly indicate the mechanism by which it reduces the risks. It is also important to find out if life style modifications including duration of breast-feeding may affect the development of CHD or type 2 or adult onset DM, especially for the high-risk category such as gestational diabetes.

*(Results reported in the December 3, 2009 Online First issue of Diabetes of a prospective, observational cohort study)

By. Dietitians,
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