Owen CG, Martin RM, Whincup PH, Smith GD, Cook DG. Does breastfeeding influence risk of type 2 diabetes in later life? A quantitative analysis of published evidence.
Am J Clin Nutr 2006;
84:1043-54. [PMID:
17093156 DOI:
10.1093/ajcn/84.5.1043]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 312] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Observational evidence suggests that having been breastfed in infancy may reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in later life.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to examine the influence of initial breastfeeding on type 2 diabetes and blood glucose and insulin concentrations.
DESIGN
A systematic review of published studies identified 1010 reports; 23 examined the relation between infant feeding and type 2 diabetes in later life or risk factors for diabetes. Risk factors in infants were examined separately from those in children and adults. All estimates were pooled by using fixed-effect models; differences <0 and ratios <1 imply a beneficial effect of breastfeeding.
RESULTS
Subjects who were breastfed had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in later life than did those who were formula fed (7 studies; 76 744 subjects; odds ratio: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.85; P = 0.003). Children and adults without diabetes who had been breastfed had marginally lower fasting insulin concentrations than did those who were formula fed (6 studies; 4800 subjects; percentage difference: -3%; 95% CI: -8%, 1%; P = 0.13); no significant difference in fasting glucose concentrations was observed. Breastfed infants had lower mean preprandial blood glucose (12 studies; 560 subjects; mean difference: -0.17 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.28, -0.05 mmol/L; P = 0.005) and insulin (7 studies; 291 subjects; mean difference: -2.86 pmol/L; 95% CI: -5.76, 0.04 pmol/L; P = 0.054) concentrations than did those who were formula fed.
CONCLUSION
Breastfeeding in infancy is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, with marginally lower insulin concentrations in later life, and with lower blood glucose and serum insulin concentrations in infancy.
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