When you hear the phrase “a woman’s right to choose,” there’s generally a quick synapse pop to the word “abortion.” However, I feel that the push to force women to breastfeed gives new meaning to the idea of choice … and it’s a meaning that does not reflect well on the medical profession.
Anyway, there’s a new study out that gives yet another enticing reason to breastfeed—it evidently lowers the risk of developing Type II Diabetes (the one that’s linked to obesity) later in life.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh studied more than 2,200 women aged 40 to 78. They found that 27 percent of mothers who didn’t breast-feed developed type 2 diabetes, almost double the rate among women who breast-fed or never gave birth.
The researchers say the differences between the groups held up even after they adjusted the statistics for factors such as age, race, levels of physical activity and body-mass index.
“Diet and exercise are widely known to impact the risk of type 2 diabetes, but few people realize that breast-feeding also reduces mothers’ risk of developing the disease later in life by decreasing maternal belly fat,” said Dr. Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, an assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology, and obstetrics, gynecology …