title: Does lactation protect mothers against metabolic syndrome? Findings from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to explore the effect of lactation on development of metabolic syndrome in a prospective population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  From among 4028 female participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, aged 15–50 years, without metabolic syndrome at the initiation of the study, 925 women were randomly selected to fill out the lactation questionnaire. Women were assigned to five groups based on lactation duration including: none, 1–6 months, 7–12 months, 13–23 months and 24 months or more. Over a 9-year follow-up, metabolic syndrome was compared between these groups, before and after adjustment for possible confounding variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metabolic syndrome was developed in 12.1% of non-lactating women; it was 28.6%, 34.0%, 26.2% and 26.7% in women with 1–6, 7–12, 13–23 and 24 months or more of lifetime duration of lactation, respectively (P < 0.002). Adjustment for confounders revealed that women with 1–6 and 7–12 months of duration of lactation had significantly higher odds of metabolic syndrome in comparison to 24 months or more (1.4 and 1.3 times, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that the longer duration of lactation up to 12 months may protect women against metabolic syndrome, in a dose–response manner.
authors.forename: Fahimeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramezani Tehrani
authors.forename: Amir Abbas
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Momenan
authors.forename: Mahnaz Bahri
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Khomami
authors.forename: Fereidoun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azizi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D060467:Disease Resistance; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007774:Lactation; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult