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Parity number influences body size phenotype in postmenopausal women
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Korean women who have given birth to three or more children are more likely to have metabolically abnormal obesity after menopause than women who delivered fewer children, according to recently published findings.
“To our knowledge, no reports have investigated the influence of parity on body size phenotypes in older women, particularly during postmenopause,” the researchers wrote. “Postmenopause is associated with a risk of obesity and is related to metabolic disturbances.”
Sang Yong Kim, MD, PhD, of the department of endocrinology and metabolism at Chosun University Hospital in Korea, and colleagues evaluated data from the 2010 to 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on 3,347 postmenopausal women to determine the relationship between parity and body size phenotypes.
Participants were divided into groups based on BMI and metabolic syndrome status: normal weight without metabolic syndrome (metabolically healthy and normal weight; 47.9%), normal weight with metabolic syndrome (metabolically abnormal but normal weight; 15.4%), obese without metabolic syndrome (metabolically healthy but obese; 14.3%) and obese with metabolic syndrome (metabolically abnormal obese; 22.4%). Participants were also divided into groups based on parity number: one to two births (36.5%), three to four births (42.3%) and five or more births (21.2%).
Compared with participants with one to two births, participants with higher parity were older; had higher BMI and waist circumference and worse metabolic profiles, including lower HDL levels; and were more likely to have a history of hypertension and diabetes.
The prevalence of the metabolically abnormal obese phenotype was highest in participants with five or more births (31.1%), followed by those with three to four births (23.9%) and one to two births (16.3%).
After adjustment for age, sociodemographic factors, lifestyle behaviors and reproductive factors, the metabolically abnormal obese phenotype was significantly associated with a parity of three to four births (OR = 1.396; 95% CI, 1.077-1.81) and a parity of five or more births (OR = 1.978; 95% CI, 1.392-2.811) compared with those with a parity of one to two births. The risk for the metabolically abnormal obese phenotype increased with each child delivered (OR = 1.182; 95% CI, 1.091-1.281).
“We propose that higher parity may contribute to the development of the [metabolically abnormal obese] phenotype in later life and should be considered a risk factor,” the researchers wrote. “It is time to focus on women with higher parity to design a specifically targeted intervention for prevention of the [metabolically abnormal obese] phenotype in postmenopause. A better understanding of the impact of higher parity on the [metabolically abnormal obese] phenotype could help to plan precision strategies for prevention and treatment of [cardiovascular] risk associated with obesity in postmenopausal women.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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