Association of genetic variants with the metabolic syndrome in 20,806 white women: The women's health genome study

Objective: It has been reported that mothers who do not breastfeed are at an increased risk of T2DM, metabolic syndrome, and CVD. We hypothesize that lactation may influence cardio-metabolic risk by altering maternal body composition. We examined the extent to which lactation was associated with regional and total adiposity in a sample of US women 15 years after their last birth. Study Design : Cross-sectional analysis of data provided by 1,268 women aged 45-58 who enrolled in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (1996 -1997). Adiposity was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. History of lactation was self-reported and categorized into three groups: mothers who breastfed for ≥3 months after every birth, those who discontinued lactation within 3 months of some births, and those who never breastfed. Results: Compared with mothers who breastfed after every birth for at least 3 months, mothers who never breastfed had 0.87 kg greater trunk fat mass (FM), 1.3% greater % trunk FM, 1.3% lower % leg FM, and 0.075 greater trunk to leg FM ratio after adjustment for age, parity, height, years since last birth, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic, lifestyle, psychological, and family history variables, maximum gestational weight gain, and menopausal status. After additional adjustment for current BMI, women who never breastfed had 0.40 kg greater trunk FM and 0.053 greater trunk to leg FM ratio than mothers who breastfed every child for ≥3 months. Similarly, mothers who discontinued lactation within 3 months of some births had 0.28 kg greater trunk FM and 0.87% lower % leg FM than mothers who consistently breastfed. Conclusion : Women who did not breastfeed for at least 3 months after every birth exhibit less favorable body fat distributions 15 years postpartum. These results provide a potential physiologic basis for prior findings that women who do not breastfeed their children face increased risk of diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Given existing disparities in rates of lactation, obesity and CVD, these findings have great clinical relevance and suggest the need for targeted lactation support for women at risk of cardiovascular disease.

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The influence of hormonal status and features of the metabolic syndrome on bone density: A population-based study of Swedish women aged 50 to 59 years. The women's health in the Lund area study

Metabolism ◽

10.1053/meta.2002.30000 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 267-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonas Lidfeldt ◽

Lydia Holmdahl ◽

G[ouml ]ran Samsioe ◽

Christina Nerbrand ◽

Per Nyberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Bone Density ◽

Women’S Health ◽

Women's Health ◽

Population Based ◽

Hormonal Status ◽

Population Based Study ◽

The Metabolic Syndrome

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Abstract P337: The Metabolic Syndrome and Subclinical Atherosclerosis:The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.129.suppl_1.p337 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 129 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Julius O Asubonteng ◽

Jessica White ◽

Rebecca Thurston ◽

Suresh Mulukutla ◽

Stephen Wisniewski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Women’S Health ◽

Women's Health ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Menopausal Status ◽

Midlife Women ◽

The Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Racial Ethnic ◽

Subclinical Cvd

Objective: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) and subclinical CVD measures are associated with a higher risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. Furthermore, individuals with MetS have a greater burden of subclinical CVD, such as the presence of carotid plaque (CP) and larger adventitial diameter (AD). Midlife women proceeding through the menopausal transition are vulnerable to developing MetS and are also at greater risk of CVD, a risk that varies by race/ethnicity. We hypothesized that there are racial/ethnic differences in the association between MetS and measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods: Participants from 6 sites of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) were analyzed if they were free of clinical CVD and had measures of CP and AD at the 12th annual visit. Women were identified as having MetS if they met the criteria defined by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to investigate the relationship of MetS with CP and AD overall and separately within each race/ethnicity group. Study site, age, height, LDL-C, smoking status, menopausal status, hormone use, and education level were included as covariates. Further analysis adjusted for inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers. Results: The 1454 women were, on average, 59.6 years old 43.5% had evidence of MetS, and 85.8% were postmenopausal. The race/ethnicity breakdown was 51.1% White, 30.3% Black, 12.7% Chinese, and 5.8% Hispanic. Overall, MetS was associated with the presence of CP and higher AD after adjusting for covariates (OR (95%): 1.65 (1.31, 2.08); β (SE): 0.344(0.035) mm, p< .0001, respectively). In race-specific models, MetS was significantly associated with AD in White, Black, Hispanic, and Chinese participants, adjusting for covariates (β (SE): 0.305 (0.043) p<.0001; 0.401(0.077) p<.0001; 0.466 (0.147) p= 0.0023; 0.291 (0.098) p = 0.0035; respectively). MetS was significantly associated with CP in White participants only (OR (95%): 1.89 (1.39, 2.57)). When high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and insulin resistance were included in the model, MetS remained significantly associated with AD in Black (0.327(0.86), p = 0.0002) and White (0.212(0.051) p<.0001) participants, and MetS remained significantly associated with CP in Whites participants (1.55 (1.08, 2.23)). Conclusion: MetS is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, and the association varies by race/ethnicity in midlife women. This variation may help explain differences in incidence rates of CVD events between racial/ethnic groups.

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