Higher parity and risk of metabolic syndrome in Korean postmenopausal women: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2012

• Published in: The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research Vol. 44; no. 11; pp. 2045 - 2052
• Main Authors: Lee, Young, Lee, Hae Nam, Kim, Sa Jin, Koo, Jahyun, Lee, Kyung Eun, Shin, Jae Eun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto, Japan John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.11.2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Births; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health risk assessment; Health Surveys; Humans; Incidence; menopause; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Nutrition Surveys; Parity; Post-menopause; Postmenopause; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Republic of Korea; metabolic syndrome; menopause; parity
• ISSN: 1341-8076; 1447-0756
• DOI: 10.1111/jog.13766

Aim We sought to examine whether parity is associated with higher incidence of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study on 4098 Korean postmenopausal women by using nationally representative data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2012. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the relationship between parity and metabolic syndrome, with adjustment for potential confounding variables. Results The rate of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher with increasing number of parity, with dose–response relationship in univariate analysis (P <0.001). In addition, higher parity (≥3 live births) was associated with more prevalence of all components of metabolic syndrome compared with two live births (parity 2 vs 3 vs ≥4: 5.5 vs 12.1 and 14.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). However, after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and reproductive factors, we found that only higher parity was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome compared with two live births, and failed to show a dose‐dependent relationship (parity 2 vs 3 vs ≥4: odds ratio 1 vs 1.404 vs 1.379, respectively; P = 0.043). We also proved that among the components of metabolic syndrome, only waist circumference had a significant positive relationship with parity in a multivariable adjusted model (parity 2 vs 3 vs ≥4: odds ratio 1 vs 1.559 vs 1.656, respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusion Higher parity was independently associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.