Our aims were therefore threefold: first, we evaluated the association between breast-feeding and diabetes risk in a large prospective study; second, we systematically reviewed other prospective studies evaluating this hypothesis; third, we investigated possible mechanisms underlying the association between breast-feeding and maternal risk of type 2 diabetes by evaluating a large set of diabetes-related markers reflecting insulin sensitivity or lipid metabolism as well as markers of liver fat accumulation and inflammation. This evidence concerns the gene INS and diabetes mellitus.