Caesarean birth linked to childhood obesity risk in new study

Babies that are delivered by caesarean section may be at a heightened risk of developing obesity during childhood, a new study has revealed.

Research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood has revealed that c-sections are associated with a doubling in the odds of obesity by the time children are three years old, regardless of birth weight, maternal weight and other factors.

This conclusion was drawn following assessment of 1,255 US mother-and-child pairs, with one in four of the study group opting for c-sections.

According to researchers, this discrepancy could be due to the difference between the two methods in terms of the composition of gut bacteria acquired at birth, with caesarean deliveries also linked to increased risk of childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis.

"An association between caesarean birth and increased risk of childhood obesity would provide an important rationale to avoid non-medically indicated caesarean section," the authors wrote.

In the UK, pregnant women are not immediately entitled to c-sections if they do not have a physical or mental need for it, meaning they will need to discuss the option with their physicians before being allowed to undergo the procedure.