Breastfeeding Appears to Reduce Occurrence of Diabetes

As St. Hope Foundation’s CEO, Rodney Goodie directs all aspects of a Houston area community health care provider. With an aim of addressing rural-urban care disparities, Rodney Goodie and his team provide care that spans dental treatment, as well as hepatitis C and diabetes.

A recent study conducted by researchers in Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research and published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that mothers who engage in breastfeeding their children for six months or more may reduce their diabetes risks by half.

The data spanned a 30-year health study of 1,238 African-American and Caucasian women from ages 18 to 30. Up to the time of enrollment, no women had diabetes and all subsequently had one baby or more. Participants underwent a total of seven diabetes screenings over the next three decades and provided information on exercise and diet.

The findings showed a consistent 50 percent decrease in diabetes occurrence among those who breastfed six months or longer, regardless of weight, lifestyle, ethnicity, or gestational diabetes history. For those breastfed less than six months, a 25 percent risk reduction was registered.