Duration of Breastfeeding and Cardiometabolic Health: A Community-Based Study

Background and Objective: Breastfeeding is well known to benefit infant health, but its long-term impact on maternal cardiometabolic outcomes remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cardiometabolic complications among women and examine the association between breastfeeding duration and maternal cardiometabolic health. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 318 women aged 20-60 years in Lahore, Pakistan. Participants were grouped by breastfeeding duration (<3 months, 3-6 months, >6 months). Data were collected through physical examinations, fasting blood samples, and a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic and medical history. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were compared across groups using appropriate statistical tests, including One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for continuous variables and Pearson’s Chi-square test for categorical variables. A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant for all tests. Results: The mean age of participants was 42.8 years, and the mean BMI was 29.0 kg/m². Women who breastfed for >6 months had significantly lower weight, BMI, and waist circumference compared with those who breastfed <3 months. Socioeconomic status, including education level and income, showed strong associations with breastfeeding duration. However, no significant differences were observed across groups for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: Breastfeeding for >6 months is associated with favorable anthropometric profiles but does not significantly reduce the prevalence of cardiometabolic conditions. Addressing broader social determinants alongside breastfeeding promotion may be necessary to improve cardiometabolic outcomes in high-risk populations.