Associations of breastfeeding duration and the total number of children breastfed with self-reported osteoarthritis in Korea women 50 years and older: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, and the prevalence is higher among women. The present study aimed to examine the association of breastfeeding duration and the total number of children with osteoarthritis in Korean women aged over 50. METHODS:In this Cross-Sectional Study, we analyzed the association between breastfeeding duration and the total number of children with osteoarthritis using representative data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey phase 5 through 7 (2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018). Of these, 10,102 women aged ≥50 years were included in the analysis. Osteoarthritis experience was self-report by participants.Breastfeeding duration was categorized into 1-6 months, 7-24 months, and ≥25 months. The total number of children breastfed was categorized into 1-2, 3-4, and≥5. Covariates were health behavior characteristics and risks of diseases (smoking, drinking, physical activity, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, oral contraceptive use, and menopause) and socioeconomic characteristics (income, education level, and occupation). Multiple logistic regression was conducted to investigate the association of osteoarthritis with breastfeeding experience. RESULTS:Compared to the non-breastfeeding group, the breastfeeding group had an odds ratio of 1.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18-2.03) for osteoarthritis. Those who reported breastfeeding experience for >25 months showed an odds ratio of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.19-2.06). CONCLUSIONS:The advantages of breastfeeding are already well known, but the present study suggests that women who had breastfed for a longer time may have a higher prevalence of osteoarthritis after middle age.