London - Babies born by Caesarean section are almost twice as likely to be overweight in childhood, according to a new study.
Researchers examined the health records of more than 10 000 British children and found that by the age of 11 they were 84 percent more likely to be overweight than children born naturally.
Just over nine percent of the children in the study were born by Caesarean and were on average two ounces lighter at birth.
But by the age of six weeks they were consistently heavier than their naturally born counterparts, even when factors such as their mother’s weight were taken into account.
The risk of obesity was particularly marked among children of overweight mothers.
The study appears to back up previous research linking Caesareans with childhood obesity.
Lead researcher Dr Jan Blustein, of the New York University School of Medicine, said one reason for the link could be exposure to beneficial bacteria in the birth canal which helps regulate metabolism in later life.
Obese adults tend to have fewer “friendly” bacteria in their digestive tract, which means they burn fewer calories.
But Dr Blustein acknowledged that obese women are more likely to need a Caesarean and have children who grow up to be obese.
She added childhood obesity risk should not be a factor when deciding whether a woman should have the operation for medical reasons. - Daily Mail