A 20 year study of women by HMO Kaiser Permanente shows a significant link between breastfeeding and a woman’s reduced risk of type-2 diabetes.
The study was originally designed to track heart disease in women, yet the researchers were able to find many other health related issues. One being that the length of breastfeeding seemed to have an impact on metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Researchers were able to see that each year a mother breastfeeds she gains a 15 percent reduction in her risk of type 2 diabetes.
This news may be especially helpful for mothers who face additional risk factors for diabetes. Mothers who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. The presence of excess stomach fat is also an indicator of the development of diabetes, something that many mothers deal with after giving birth. Breastfeeding two children for 2 years each could lower a woman’s diabetes risk by 60 percent.
This study confirms the results of a 2005 Harvard Medical Study. The Harvard study also found a significant decrease in diabetes risk in women who breastfeed.
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December 29th, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Not surprising! I have PCOS which is an enormous precursor for Type-II diabetes. While BFing my PCOS disappears completely and my insulin/blood sugar remains normal. Interestingly, my cholesterol also remains normal while BFing (high before pregnancy). I’ve been BFing for 6.5 years straight now, and am expecting #4 so plan to continue for many, many more years
January 1st, 2010 at 7:41 PM
Fantastic news. I love that full term breastfeeding offers so many benefits to moms. I’m hypoglycemic and was told a few years ago that I was a small risk for Type II diabetes. Nice to know my risks are that much lower due to breastfeeding.