There are many risk factors responsible for the rise in numbers of obese people lately. Normally the experts point to the main culprits of obesity in children as being the long hours spent in front of the computer, the refusal to exercise, as well as the increased consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks.
It turns out that there's another different reason for kids to begin gaining excess weight. Children under 2 years of age, who are taking antibiotics, will only increase their risk of obesity, show the results of a new study by Agence France-Presse.
Because the causes for obesity vary, overcoming it depends on identifying all of the risk factors, states the head of the study Dr. Charles Bailey from the pediatrics hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to him, the results show that taking medications before reaching 2 years of age might be among those factors.
Researchers analyzed the digital medical data of over 64 000 children from their very birth until they reached 5 years of age, in the period from 2001 to 2013.
It became evident that 69% of the kids took antibiotics 2-3 times before 2 years of age. Cases of obesity were seen as follows: 10% among 2-year-olds, 14% among 3-year-olds and 15% among 4-year-olds.
The scientists also noticed that 23% of the 2-year-olds were overweight. It was also a problem for 30% of 3-year-olds and 33% of 4-year-olds.
The experts came to the conclusion that children who were treated with antibiotics 4 or more times before the age 2 were at risk of obesity.
Being overweight truly is dangerous for children but parents should not panic. They need to approach the problem wisely and with understanding, in order to resolve it along with their kids. Parents need to aim to develop healthy habits in their children.
They need to motivate them, in the way most suitable for their child's mentality. Reveal new opportunities to your kids and never nag them if they are overweight because this can only make things worse, warn experts.
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