Antibiotics and heartburn medications increase the risk of obesity in children

Is there a link between antibiotics and obesity in children??

More and more people are taking antibiotics today for a variety of reasons. This leads to the problem that more and more strains of bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. The intake can also bring quite different problems, at least if small children get these drugs prescribed. Researchers have now found that taking antibiotics and heartburn medications in young children increases the risk of developing obesity.

The researchers from the William Beaumont Army Medical Center and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences found in their recent research that treating children with antibiotics before their second birthday increases the likelihood of childhood obesity. The physicians published the results of their study in the English language journal "Gut".

Children are prescribed antibiotics for various diseases. Such children have an increased likelihood to develop obesity or obesity (Image: dementevajulia / fotolia.com)

Antibiotics in children increase the risk of obesity by 26 percent

The US researchers, who looked at the effects of the usual treatment of infections, suggested that disrupting the intestinal bacteria in the longer term could affect children's metabolism and increase weight gain. When prescribing antibiotics to children, children were 26 percent more likely to be diagnosed with obesity. This weight gain risk increased further with multiple treatments and the researchers found that medications that are taken for excessive stomach acid also have a (lesser) effect and further increase the risk of obesity.

Data from more than 333,000 infants were closely examined

The researchers focused on investigating the use of antibiotics and so-called antacid medications to suppress heartburn in early childhood in patients with a diagnosis of obesity. Based on the health data of more than 333,000 infants enrolled in the US Military Healthcare Database between 2006 and 2013, it was found that nearly three quarters (72.4 percent) had received an antibiotic.

Fourteen percent of children suffered from obesity at the age of three

At the age of three, a total of 46,993 (14.1 percent) children became obese. In 9,628 patients, neither antibiotics nor gastric acid suppression drugs were previously prescribed. Although the study was only an observational study, there is a clear indication that outpatient prescriptions for antibiotics and acid-inhibiting drugs within the first two years of life are associated with the development of childhood childhood obesity. This compound has been further enhanced by prescribing more than one type of microbiota-altering drug. However, children whose parents were under the officer rank in military service, which is an indicator of higher wealth and socioeconomic status, were more often obese. This could explain some of the increased risk, say the experts.

There were limitations in the study?

Critics of the study argue that despite its enormous size, the study has limitations. Since this is an observational study, no reasons for the relationship were identified, such as the mother's weight, whether the mother smoked and other important factors. The environment of a person has a great influence on the development of obesity, which should be taken into account. For example, children from poorer families are more likely to be obese and more exposed to cigarette smoke, which may increase the risk of infection. Today, more and more children are obese. In the United Kingdom alone every third child is overweight or obese when leaving primary school. In addition, it is very important that antibiotic resistance continue to increase. Therefore, all unnecessary applications of antibiotics throughout the life course must be avoided as far as possible, so the conclusion of the experts. (As)