Role of Gut Microbiota in the Aetiology of Obesity: Proposed Mechanisms and Review of the Literature
Table 5
Population based studies to investigate the risk of obesity and overweight in children who were given antibiotics for treatment of infections in early infancy.
Study reference
Design and population
Age group
Tools
Primary outcome
Factors considered
Findings
ISAAC study (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) [50]
,946 cross-sectional
5–8 years
Questionnaires/interviews, measurements
Antibiotics use in first 12 months of life
Ht., Wt., BMI, age, gender, antibiotics, paracetamol, breast-feeding, maternal smoking, gross national income, and asthma
Association of antibiotics use and BMI in boys (+0.107 kg/m2 ), not in girls even after adjustment for the other variables
Socioeconomic status, maternal age and smoking, gestational weight gain, parity, delivery mode, breast-feeding, paternal BMI, birth weight, and age at 7-year follow-up
Increased risk of overweight in children born to normal weight mothers (adjusted OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09–2.17) and especially in boys when adjusted for maternal age, smoking, SE status, birth weight, and breast-feeding
ALSPAC study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) [52]
,532 longitudinal
7 years
Questionnaires based, hospital records, and objective measurements
Antibiotic exposure at <6 months, 6–14 months, and 15–23 months and BMI at 6 weeks, 10 months, 20 months, 38 months, and 7 years
Maternal parity, social class, education, parental BMI, parental smoking, breast-feeding, lifestyle, and dietary patterns
Increased risk of overweight at 38 months (OR 1.22, ) but not at 7 years in children exposed to antibiotics <6 months
