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Caesarean section delivery may double risk of childhood obesity
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Sweet Zombie Jesus
May 25, 2012, 12:45:59 PM5/25/12
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Caesarean section delivery may double risk of childhood obesity
Published: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - 21:31 in Health & Medicine
Caesarean section delivery may double the risk of subsequent childhood
obesity, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in
Childhood. Caesarean section delivery has already been linked to an
increased risk of subsequent childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis,
and around one in three babies born in the US is delivered this way.
The authors base their findings on 1255 mother and child pairs, who
attended eight outpatient maternity services in eastern Massachusetts,
USA between 1999 and 2002.
The mums joined the study before 22 weeks of pregnancy, and their
babies were measured and weighed at birth, at six months, and then at
the age of three, when the child's skinfold thickness, a measure of
body fat, was also assessed.
Out of the 1255 deliveries, around one in four (22.6%; 284) were by
caesarean section, and the remainder (77.4%; 971) were vaginal
deliveries.
Mums who delivered by c-section tended to weigh more than those
delivering vaginally, and the birthweight for gestational age of their
babies also tended to be higher. These mums also breastfed their
babies for a shorter period.
But irrespective of birth weight, and after taking account of maternal
weight (BMI) and several other influential factors, a caesarean
section delivery was associated with a doubling in the odds of obesity
by the time the child was 3 years old.
Just under 16% of children delivered via c-section were obese by the
age of 3 compared with 7.5% of those born vaginally.
Children delivered by c-section also had higher BMI and skinfold
thickness measurements by the age of 3.
The researchers speculate that one possible explanation for their
findings is the difference in the composition of gut bacteria acquired
at birth between the two delivery methods.
They highlight previous research showing that children born by c-
section have higher numbers of Firmicutes bacteria and lower numbers
of Bacteroides bacteria in their guts. These two groups make up the
bulk of gut flora.
Other research has also suggested that obese people have higher levels
of Firmicutes bacteria.
It may be that gut bacteria influence the development of obesity by
increasing energy extracted from the diet, and by stimulating cells to
boost insulin resistance, inflammation, and fat deposits, say the
authors.
"An association between caesarean birth and increased risk of
childhood obesity would provide an important rationale to avoid non-
medically indicated caesarean section," write the authors.
Mums who choose this delivery option should be made aware of the
potential health risks to her baby, including the possibility of
obesity, they say.
Source: BMJ-British Medical Journal
Published: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - 21:31 in Health & Medicine
Caesarean section delivery may double the risk of subsequent childhood
obesity, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in
Childhood. Caesarean section delivery has already been linked to an
increased risk of subsequent childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis,
and around one in three babies born in the US is delivered this way.
The authors base their findings on 1255 mother and child pairs, who
attended eight outpatient maternity services in eastern Massachusetts,
USA between 1999 and 2002.
The mums joined the study before 22 weeks of pregnancy, and their
babies were measured and weighed at birth, at six months, and then at
the age of three, when the child's skinfold thickness, a measure of
body fat, was also assessed.
Out of the 1255 deliveries, around one in four (22.6%; 284) were by
caesarean section, and the remainder (77.4%; 971) were vaginal
deliveries.
Mums who delivered by c-section tended to weigh more than those
delivering vaginally, and the birthweight for gestational age of their
babies also tended to be higher. These mums also breastfed their
babies for a shorter period.
But irrespective of birth weight, and after taking account of maternal
weight (BMI) and several other influential factors, a caesarean
section delivery was associated with a doubling in the odds of obesity
by the time the child was 3 years old.
Just under 16% of children delivered via c-section were obese by the
age of 3 compared with 7.5% of those born vaginally.
Children delivered by c-section also had higher BMI and skinfold
thickness measurements by the age of 3.
The researchers speculate that one possible explanation for their
findings is the difference in the composition of gut bacteria acquired
at birth between the two delivery methods.
They highlight previous research showing that children born by c-
section have higher numbers of Firmicutes bacteria and lower numbers
of Bacteroides bacteria in their guts. These two groups make up the
bulk of gut flora.
Other research has also suggested that obese people have higher levels
of Firmicutes bacteria.
It may be that gut bacteria influence the development of obesity by
increasing energy extracted from the diet, and by stimulating cells to
boost insulin resistance, inflammation, and fat deposits, say the
authors.
"An association between caesarean birth and increased risk of
childhood obesity would provide an important rationale to avoid non-
medically indicated caesarean section," write the authors.
Mums who choose this delivery option should be made aware of the
potential health risks to her baby, including the possibility of
obesity, they say.
Source: BMJ-British Medical Journal
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