Parenthood and the risk of cardiovascular diseases among 0.5 million men and women: Findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank

Resource type: Publication Publication
  • Authors
    Sanne AE Peters, Ling Yang, Yu Guo, Yiping Chen, Zheng Bian, Iona Y Millwood, Shaojie Wang, Liqiu Yang, Yihe Hu, Jiaqiu Liu, Tao Wang, Junshi Chen, Richard Peto, Liming Li, Mark Woodward, Zhengming Chen
  • Type
    Original research
  • Journal
    International Journal of Epidemiology
  • Publication Date
    2017
  • Abstract

    Background: Women’s parity has been associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unclear, however, whether it reflects biological effects of childbearing or uncontrolled socio-economic and lifestyle factors associated with childrearing. We as sessed the association between number of children and incident CVD outcomes separ ately in women and men.

    Methods: In 2004–08, the nationwide China Kadoorie Biobank recruited 0.5 million indi viduals aged 30–79 years from 10 diverse regions. During 7 years of follow-up, 24 432 in cident cases of coronary heart disease (CHD) and 35 736 of stroke were recorded among 489 762 individuals without prior CVD. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CHD and stroke associated with number of children.

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Women’s parity has been associated with risk of cardiovascular disease. It is unclear, however, whether it reflects biological effects of childbearing or uncontrolled socio-economic and lifestyle factors associated with childrearing. This study assessed the association between number of children and incident CVD outcomes, in women, but also in men. The study shows that the association between the number of children and risk of CHD and stroke was similar between men and women. Hence, factors associated with parenthood and childrearing are more likely to affect the risk of CVD outcomes than factors associated with childbearing. The study shows the advantages of including a comparitor group to disentangle mechanisms, for example involving biological processes.