Some medications may increase the risk of obesity in children | New

The research, published in the journal Intestine, suggests that drugs can alter the key microbes associated with weight gain – especially during prolonged intake.

"Long-term health risks need to be compared to short-term benefits"

Authors of the study

The composition of bacteria in the intestine has been linked to various aspects of health, including obesity.

Meanwhile, it has been shown that certain medications, such as antibiotics and medications used to reduce excess acid in the stomach, alter the type and number of bacteria present in the stomach. # 39; intestine.

The researchers sought to know if taking these drugs in early childhood could increase the risk of obesity.

They examined the medications prescribed to more than 330,000 infants whose medical records were placed in the US military health system database between 2006 and 2013, during their first two years of life.

They found that most – 72.5% – had received an antibiotic, while about 15% had received one of two types of antacids – just under 12% of them. taking a histamine 2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) and a little over 3% an inhibitor proton pump (PPI).

More than 5,800 children had been prescribed for all three types of drugs.

In total, 46,993 of the children became obese with the minority, that is to say 11%, who was never prescribed antibiotics or drugs removing the acid.

After taking into account various factors that may have an impact, the researchers concluded that taking these drugs was linked to an increased risk of obesity at the age of three years.

They discovered that a prescription for antibiotics was linked to a 26% increase in the risk of obesity, regardless of the type of antibiotic. The risk increased with each additional type of antibiotic received by the children.

Acid suppressants were also associated with an increased risk of obesity – but to a lesser extent – and this link became stronger as the duration of the prescription increased.

The researchers pointed out that they could not determine the cause and effect and that antibiotics and other drugs altering the bacteria in the intestine had "an important therapeutic role".

However, they added, "The long-term health risks must be compared to the short-term benefits."

They said their findings could be significant in preventing the "significant problem" of excessive prescribing of antibiotics and antacids, although additional research is needed to determine the specific effects of different types of drugs on intestinal bacteria.

"Clear documentation of the specific effects of these drugs at the microbiota level would provide additional rationale for preventing unnecessary prescriptions and may convince providers to adhere to strict clinical guidelines for prescriptions of these drugs," the document says.