A latest study linked to the caesarean babies or the babies born through C-Section procedure have revealed that the risk of becoming heavyweight adults are much higher in these infants when compared to that of natural births.
Researchers analyses data of 38,000 individuals and found that caesarean babies were 22 per cent on higher risk to be obese than those who had natural births. They had a 26 per cent greater chance of being overweight depending on their body mass index (BMI).
Effects of a caesarean birth on a baby’s gut bacteria and genes could be two reasons for this, the study stated.
Researchers from Imperial College London also warned mothers to be aware of the possible long-term consequences of caesareans.
Neena Modi of the Imperial College said that there are good reasons why caesarean section may be the best option for many mothers and their babies.
“Caesarean birth can on occasion be life-saving. However, we need to understand the long-term outcomes in order to provide the best advice to women who are considering caesarean delivery,” Modi said.
Caesareans now account for up to a third of births in England, twice as many as in 1990.
In some countries like China and Brazil, caesarean birth rate is much higher. In China, 60 per cent of mothers and 50 per cent in Brazil undergo the procedure.
The new study pooled together results from 15 separate studies conducted in 10 countries.
“There is a strong association between CS (Caesarean section) and increased offspring BMI, overweight and obesity in adulthood.” the study authors wrote in the online journal Public Library of Science One.
