Study links antibiotic exposure before age two to childhood obesity

New Delhi, April 25 Administering antibiotics within the first two years of life can raise children's risk of developing higher body mass index (BMI), according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland found that children exposed to antibiotics in the first two years of life had a 9 per cent greater risk of being overweight; and a 20 per cent greater risk of becoming obese than children who were not exposed to the drugs.

However, the study found no correlation between BMI and antibiotic use before pregnancy, during pregnancy, or at birth.

"Antibiotic exposure in the first two years of life has a stronger association with childhood weight gain than exposure during pregnancy stages or other early ages," said Sofia Ainonen, a medical doctor at the University of Oulu.

"Providers need to be cautious about prescribing antibiotics for young toddlers, especially unnecessary antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections," she added.

The study comes as childhood obesity is becoming a pressing issue worldwide, with over 159 million school-aged children diagnosed with obesity in 2022.

Being overweight in childhood can affect kids’ physical as well as mental health. It can affect their academic performance and quality of life, compounded by stigma, discrimination, and bullying.

It is also associated with greater risk and earlier onset of various non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Previous studies have shown that antibiotics majorly impact the gut microbiota, which leads to obesity.

The study followed 33,095 vaginally born children in Finland to see if antibiotics before pregnancy, during the perinatal period, and after pregnancy was associated with higher BMI at age two and age 12.

The research was presented at the Paediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2025 Meeting, held April 24–28 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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