Duration of Lactation and Maternal Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Christine TørrisAnn Kristin BjørnnesPublished in: Nutrients (2020)
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death of women across all ages, and targeting modifiable risk factors, such as those comprised in metabolic syndrome (MetS) (e.g., waist circumference, lipid profile, blood pressure, and blood glucose), is of great importance. An inverse association between lactation and CVD has been suggested, and lactation may decrease the risk of MetS. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined how lactation may affect the development and prevalence of MetS in women. A literature search was performed using Cinahl, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed. A total of 1286 citations were identified, and finally, ten studies (two prospective and eight cross-sectional) were included. Seven studies (two prospective and five cross-sectional) revealed associations between lactation and MetS, suggesting that breastfeeding might prevent or improve metabolic health and have a protective role in MetS prevention. This protective role might be related to the duration of lactation; however, a lack of controlling for potential confounders, such as parity, might inflict the results. The pooled effect was non-conclusive. Additional research is required to further explore the duration of lactation and its potential role in improving or reversing MetS and its components.
Keyphrases
- dairy cows
- human milk
- metabolic syndrome
- cross sectional
- risk factors
- blood glucose
- cardiovascular disease
- blood pressure
- low birth weight
- body mass index
- preterm infants
- healthcare
- systematic review
- mental health
- pregnancy outcomes
- physical activity
- insulin resistance
- randomized controlled trial
- skeletal muscle
- drug delivery
- social media
- single cell
- body weight
- glycemic control
- climate change
- breast cancer risk
- human health
- weight gain
- birth weight
- health promotion
- phase iii