Breastfeeding Reduces Diabetes, Cancer Risk
A new study currently published in the American Journal of Medicine has confirmed prior research regarding breastfeeding and diabetes: breastfeeding for at least one month or longer seems to reduce diabetes risk later in life.
Study Details
Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, MD, assistant professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, led a team of researchers who discovered that women who never breastfed were twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes mellitus than those who do.
Specifically, 2,200 women from the ages of 40-78 were questioned about their lactation history, or lack thereof. 27% of those who’d never given birth or lactated developed the diabetes, which occurs when the body’s cells become insensitive or impervious to insulin.
According to BusinessWeek, Dr. Schwarz stated in a news release that the reason for the risk reduction is that breastfeeding reduces maternal belly fat, a known risk factor for diabetes.
Other Breastfeeding Advantages
There are a plethora of other health benefits that result from breastfeeding; a 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a direct link between breastfeeding and a 59% decrease of breast cancer risk. Additionally, breastfeeding triggers accelerated weight loss while it simultaneously lowers both ovarian cancer and cardiovascular disease risk.
In May of 2009, a Swedish study concluded that women who breastfed their babies from 1-12 months cut their rheumatoid arthritis risk by 25%, while those who breasted longer than one year cut their risk by half. Researchers believe that this might be due to the long-term changes in the immune system that breastfeeding sets in motion.
Breastfeeding also strengthens an infant’s immune system, especially during the first few days following childbirth. Immediately after giving birth, a mother secretes a yellow substance called colostrum from her breasts. Studies have indicated that this substance provides the baby with some of the benefits of the mother’s immune system, providing baby with a better shot at staying healthy.
Certainly, it can be overwhelming for some women to commit to breastfeeding for an entire year, but the good news is that even one month can keep both mother and baby healthy.
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