Caesarean section increases risk for obesity

Caesarean sections can the risk of children suffering from obesity later to increase significantly. One study by Harvard Medical School, according occurs in children who are born by caesarean section, obesity is often twice as naturally as born.

A team of researchers from Harvard Medical School studied 1255 children from eight maternity hospitals in the U.S. several times. The researchers concluded that a child born by caesarean section twice as likely to have to suffer from overweight or obesity. The reason for this is, according to scientists probably have a different composition of the intestinal bacteria that the child acquires at birth. The results of the study were published in the online publication "Archives of Disease in Childhood," published.


Of the children examined were three out of four babies by vaginal delivery, a quarter was born by Caesarean section. A preliminary investigation was already in the 22 Week of pregnancy carried out more at birth, six months and three years. Each time measurements were carried out and weighing the children. The last time was also a skin fold thickness measurements, which determines the body fat, part of the investigation.

Even with the mothers of caesarean babies could be detected differences with the other women. Thus, these weighed herself and her child on average more children and breastfeed her shorter. Also showed that the risk to apply as early as age three years as in caesarean babies twice Thurs was great. While 16 percent of them suffered at the age of three years of obesity, only 7.5 of the normal infants were affected.

This is most likely that the intestinal flora is greatly influenced by the birth of form. Already earlier research has shown that children have caesarean more Firmicutes bacteria in the gut. These are also found in obese people disproportionately. The researchers speculate that these intestinal bacteria favour the withdrawal of energy in the diet and boost insulin resistance and fat deposition.

If the child is in a natural way to the world, the child is trained literally. Acts recorded in the birth canal chair of the mother on the immune system such as a vaccine, says the Graz-immunologist Martie Truschnig Wilders. Frivolous and unnecessary caesarean sections should be avoided. Caesareans can increase that is probably also the risk of asthma and lung problems.