title: Duration of lactation is associated with lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in midlife--SWAN, the study of women's health across the nation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to evaluate whether lactation duration is associated with lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in midlife, parous women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional cohort analysis of 2516 parous, midlife women using multivariable logistic regression to determine the independent association of lactation and lactation duration on prevalence of MetSyn.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand six hundred twenty women (64.4%) reported a history of breast-feeding, with average lifetime duration of lactation of 1.16 (+/- 1.04) years. MetSyn was present in 536 women (21.3%). Adjusting for age, smoking history, parity, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, study site, physical activity, caloric intake, and high school body mass index, women with prior lactation had significantly lower odds of MetSyn (odds ratio [OR] 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63 to 0.99). Furthermore, increasing duration of lactation was similarly associated with lower odds of MetSyn (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Duration of lactation is associated with lower prevalence of MetSyn in a dose-response manner in midlife, parous women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. kavitha_t_ram@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Kavitha T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bobby
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hailpern
authors.forename: Joan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schocken
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skurnick
authors.forename: Nanette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors