Antibiotic use in infancy raises obesity risk

According to the findings of a new study, infants who are prescribed antibiotics before six months of life run a higher risk of obesity by the time they turn three.

The findings of the British study suggest that children who are given antibiotic drugs before they are six months old are bigger and have a higher body mass index (BMI) by age three, as compared to children who are not prescribed such drugs.

"Microbes in our intestines may play critical roles in how we absorb calories, and exposure to antibiotics, especially early in life, may kill off healthy bacteria that influence how we absorb nutrients into our bodies, and would otherwise keep us lean," study's lead researcher, Leonardo Trasande explained.

The study
For the purpose of the study, researchers from the New York University School of Medicine and the NYU Wagner School of Public Service evaluated the use of antibiotics among 11,532 children born between 1991 and 1992.

While the health status of the participants was assessed at three stages - from birth to five months of age, six months to 14 months, and 15 to 23 months, BMI was measured at five different points - 6 weeks, 10 months, 20 months, 38 months, and 7 years of age.

Timing of antibiotic use mattered
The timing of exposure to antibiotics mattered the most, researchers found.

Children who were exposed to antibiotics between birth and five months were most likely to have a higher BMI than children who weren't exposed to antibiotics.

Exposure to antibiotics between the ages 10 to 20 months also translated into a small increase in BMI. Other risk factors, namely diet, physical activity, and parental obesity were taken into account at this stage.

Exposed children were 22 percent more likely to be overweight by 38 months, researchers highlighted. But exposure beyond 15 months resulted in no significant increase in risk of being overweight or obese.

The findings of the study are published in the International Journal of Obesity.

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