Study suggests household cleaning products can make kids fat

The study found that those who lived in households where disinfectants were used each week were at a higher risk of being overweight by the age of 3 than those living in homes where environmentally friendly substances were used.

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Daily housekeeping products can have unintended consequences for children. According to one study, disinfectants have the ability to alter intestinal bacteria, potentially leading to a higher body mass index (BMI).

The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that those who lived in homes where disinfectants were used weekly were at a higher risk of being overweight at age 3 than those living in homes. houses where environmentally friendly substances were used.

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The researchers studied the gut microbiota of 757 babies aged three to four months who were part of the longitudinal development cohort of Canadian infants, Newsweek reported. Stool samples were taken and parents were asked how often cleaning products were used at home. Follow-up was done when children were one and three years old.

According to the report, the intestinal bacteria of children differed according to the products used inside the house. People who had been in contact with disinfectants had the highest BMI scores at the age of 3, while people living with environmentally friendly products showed an opposite trend.

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However, the researchers cautioned that external factors that could potentially contribute to weight gain could not be excluded in the study, including the pregnant mother's diet. However, Dr. Anita Kozyrskyj, the lead author of the study, told Newsweek that the findings had enough evidence to suggest that overuse of disinfectants could be harmful to a child.

"When infants are involved, changing the composition of the microbiota at a critical time of development can affect the immune system," Kozyrskyj told reporters.

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) responded to the findings of the study, calling it "sensational".

"Proper use of household cleaners and disinfectants is an important factor in controlling infections and healthy outbreaks," said Richard Sedlak, ACI's Executive Vice President, Technical and International Affairs. "Families rely on these products to effectively clean, sanitize and disinfect areas of their homes, reducing opportunities for children of these young ages to suffer serious illnesses." This was one of many factors overlooked in the reported study. "

Sedlak also cited the "limits of research" and criticized the design of the study.