title: Maternal age at first delivery is associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women: from 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent cross-sectional studies demonstrated that earlier maternal age at first childbirth is correlated with a higher risk of diabetes in postmenopausal women. In this study, we evaluated whether the age at first delivery is associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4,261 postmenopausal women aged 45 years or older were analyzed using data generated from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2008-2010). Subjects were divided into three groups according to the maternal age at first delivery as follows: ≤ 20 years (n=878), 21-25 years (n=2314), and ≥ 26 years (n=1069).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 37% of subjects had MetS. The prevalence of MetS showed a gradual increase as maternal age at first delivery decreased (≥ 26 years = 30.9% vs. 21-25 years = 39.9% vs. ≤ 20 years = 50.8%, respectively, p < 0.001). Central obesity indices such as trunk fat mass and waist circumference were significantly higher in the group aged ≤ 20 years than other groups. After adjustments for confounding factors, the odds ratios (ORs) for predicting the presence of MetS increased gradually as first delivery age decreased (≥ 26 years vs. 21-25 years vs. ≤ 20 years: OR [95% CI] = 1 vs. 1.324 [1.118-1.567] vs. 1.641 [1.322-2.036], respectively). Among components of MetS, younger maternal age at first delivery (≤ 20 years) was significantly associated with increased waist circumference (OR [95% CI] = 1.735 [1.41-2.13]), elevated blood pressure (1.261 [1.02-1.57]), high triglyceride (1.333 [1.072-1.659]), and low HDL-cholesterol (1.335[1.084-1.643]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that younger maternal age at first delivery is independently associated with a higher risk of central obesity and MetS in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Choon Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Jang Yel
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gwangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Huh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012306:Risk; D055815:Young Adult