C-section babies 'more likely' to grow up obese

Conclusion The authors have shown that there appears to be a link between mode of childbirth and obesity later in life for offspring. The strengths of the study were that it was a large prospective cohort that examined BMI over a long period, meaning the risk of obesity could be seen from childhood into early adulthood. The reporting of information on pregnancy also allowed other factors to be accounted for. However, there are a number of important considerations: Babies born by caesarean section are less likely to have been breastfed, which has previously been linked with risk of obesity. This was not included in the adjusted analysis. The mothers' diet was not taken into account, which has been shown to impact on the weight of offspring. Obesity was measured using self-reported information, which may have resulted in inaccurate findings. Finally, the mothers involved in the study were all nurses. They might not have been representative of the general population and therefore results might not be generalizable. While it may be the case that some people born via caesarean have an increased tendency towards obesity, such a tendency can be overcome through the standard pattern of healthy eating and regular exercise.     Links To The Headlines Babies born by caesarean more likely to be obese as adults, study suggests. The Guardian, September 6 2016 Babies born by Caesarean section are more likely to be obese, research finds. The Independent, September 7 201...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Pregnancy/child Obesity Source Type: news