Reduced risk of IDDM among breast-fed children. The Colorado IDDM Registry

• Published in: Diabetes (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 37; no. 12; pp. 1625 - 1632
• Main Authors: Mayer, E J, Hamman, R F, Gay, E C, Lezotte, D C, Savitz, D A, Klingensmith, G J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.1988
• Subjects: Breast Feeding; Colorado; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - etiology; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Milk, Human - immunology; Registries; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Colorado
• ISSN: 0012-1797; 1939-327X
• DOI: 10.2337/diab.37.12.1625

The hypothesis that breast-feeding can provide protection against the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and would, therefore, be less common among subjects with IDDM was tested with a retrospective design. Cases (n = 268) were selected from the Colorado IDDM Registry and the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes (Denver, CO). Two control groups were recruited, one from physicians' practices throughout Colorado (n = 291) and the second through random-digit dialing from the Denver area (n = 188). Cases were less likely to have been breast-fed than controls after adjustment for birth year, maternal age, maternal education, family income, race, and sex [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50-0.97]. This finding was consistent for both control groups and by birth-year intervals. A greater decrease in risk of IDDM was seen among subjects who had been breast-fed to an older age (for breast-feeding duration of greater than or equal to 12 mo, adjusted OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.27-1.08). The amount of IDDM that might be explained by breast-feeding habits (population percentage attributable risk) ranged from 2 to 26%, varying according to the breast-feeding prevalence reported in other studies. Replication of this work in different populations, controlled for the strong secular trends in breast-feeding habits, is critical before the hypothesis of protection is accepted.