Multiparity and risk of metabolic syndrome: Isfahan Healthy Heart Program

More than one third of Iranian adult women have the metabolic syndrome. We conducted this study to assess the effect of parity on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in analyses controlling for sociodemographic and reproductive variables as well as behavioral risk factors.

We evaluated the relationship between number of children and metabolic syndrome in 6331 adult nonpregnant women >20 years of age. The data source for this study was Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III).

Overall, 34.2% of women met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. The number of children borne in women with metabolic syndrome was significantly higher than others (5.2 +/- 3.1 vs. 3.5 +/- 2.6; p < 0.0001). In logistic regression analyses, the odds of metabolic syndrome increased 24% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22-26%) with each additional child, but after adjustment for sociodemographic, reproductive, and behavioral characteristics, the odds of metabolic syndrome was attenuated (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.06). Further adjustment for body mass index (BMI) yielded similar results (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.98-1.05).

A combination of lifestyle risk factors and/or biological changes associated with childbearing may explain the positive association between parity and increased risk of metabolic syndrome.