Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects about 9 million adult women in the United States, according to background information in the article. The disease and its complications impose a considerable burden on the health care system, absorbing $1 of every $10 spent on health care. Multiple lifestyle factors, including diet, exercise, and obesity, are associated with risk of diabetes.
Previous studies have demonstrated improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance during lactation compared with nonlactating mothers. Although these and other findings have suggested that maternal lactation may reduce future risk of type 2 diabetes, no study has directly examined this association.