Association between Breastfeeding and Prevalence of Diabetes in Korean Parous Women: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010–2014 / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: It is well known that breastfeeding has a significant impact on the health of mothers and children. With the growing importance of breastfeeding, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding and the prevalence of diabetes in Korean parous women. METHODS: The data of 5,448 premenopausal parous women aged 20–49 years who agreed to participate in the 5th–6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed in this study. Control group included women who had not breastfed. The subjects who had breastfed were classified into three groups based on the duration of breastfeeding: 0–6 months, 6–12 months, and >12 months. The variables included age, body mass index, education level, income, alcohol drinking, smoking, family history of diabetes, use of oral contraceptives, the number of pregnancies, and regular exercise. RESULTS: Among the subjects, the prevalence of diabetes was significantly lower in women who had breastfed compared to those who had not, with an odds ratio of 0.534 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.289–0.976) in women who breastfed for 0–6 months and 0.575 (95% CI, 0.321–0.990) in women who breastfed for 6–12 months (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study found a reduced prevalence of diabetes in women who had breastfed compared to those who had not. However, no association between the duration of breastfeeding and the prevalence of diabetes could be found.

Relationship between Marital Status and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Middle-Aged Women: The Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2014) / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between marital status and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean middle-aged women. METHODS: Based on data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2014), 3,225 women aged 40–69 years were subjected to the analysis. Marital status was categorized as married, unmarried, separated, widowed, or divorced. The odds ratios (ORs) for metabolic syndrome were calculated based on marital status. After adjustment for age, income level, education level, alcohol intake, smoking status, leisure physical activity, menopause status, daily calories, and fat intake, changes in the OR for metabolic syndrome based on marital status were examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The OR for metabolic syndrome in the widowed group to the married group was 4.818 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.861–6.002; P < 0.001) and that after adjustment of age, economic level, education level, alcohol intake, smoking status, physical activity, menopause status, total daily calories, and fat intake was 2.141 (CI, 1.432–3.199; P < 0.001), both of which were statistically significant. The OR for metabolic syndrome in the unmarried group to the married group was 0.246 (CI, 0.141–0.431; P < 0.001) after adjustment of all components. On the contrary, the ORs of the separated group and the divorced group to the married group were not significant. CONCLUSION: In comparison with the married middle-aged group, the widowed middle-aged group tended to have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, which is speculated to be related to socioeconomic factors and health behavior.

The Effects of Weight Control Behaviors among Korean Obese Adults / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify and examine the effects of weight control behaviors correlated with weight loss in obese individuals who attempted to lose weight within the past year. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data from 9,461 obese individuals were collected from the fifth and sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2014). Three of nine verified methods of weight control suggested in the survey were selected: diet therapy (reduced food intake), exercise therapy (exercise), and medication therapy (prescribed weight loss medications). Participants were divided into one of seven groups (diet therapy alone; exercise therapy alone; drug therapy alone; combined diet and exercise therapy; combined exercise and drug therapy; combined diet and drug therapy; or combined diet, exercise, and drug therapy). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether the group that tried to lose weight in the past year had indeed lost weight compared to the group that did not. RESULTS: The odds ratios for weight loss (≥3 but < 6 kg vs. ≥6 but < 10 kg) for the combined therapies were 2.05 (95% confidence interval, 1.23–3.41) for combined diet and exercise therapy and 5.43 (1.74–16.92) for combined diet, exercise, and drug therapy. CONCLUSION: All levels of weight loss were significantly associated with combined diet and exercise therapy. Weight loss ≥6 kg but < 10 kg was significantly associated with combined diet and exercise therapy as well as with combined diet, exercise, and medication therapy among individuals who tried to lose weight in the past year.