Breastfeeding is associated with many health benefits to the mother but the association between osteoarthritis (OA) is not known. Menopause, a state of rapid estrogen loss, is associated with OA. To test whether lactation, another physiological state of low estrogen status, is associated with OA, a nationally representative dataset National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2012 was analyzed. Information of OA diagnosis history and lactation for at least one month was self-reported by women 50 years and older that had given birth to at least one child. Women that breastfed for less than one month had a higher proportion of those that were 60 years and older, Hispanic (than non-Hispanic Black), and higher current/self-reported greatest body mass index. Women that breastfed for one month or longer had a higher proportion of those that had 3 or more children, higher poverty-income ratio, were post-menopausal and performed vigorous physical activity. Weighted percentage of OA patients was 22%, and did not differ between the two groups. However, when logistic regression was performed adjusting for multiple covariates, lactation for one month or longer was positively associated with OA. Women that breastfed for one month or longer had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.21 (95% confidence interval, 1.05–1.40) for OA compared to those that breastfed for less than one month. The results indicate that women that breastfed for at least one month have a higher risk of OA than women that delivered a child but breastfed for less than one month.
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