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ID Week: Early exposure to antibiotics associated with weight gain

SAN DIEGO – Andi Shane, MD, MPH, MSc, discusses recent study results indicating that exposure to antibiotics during the first 6 months of life was associated with consistent increases in body mass from 10 to 38 months at ID Week 2012.

According to study result m presented here, exposure to antibiotics during the first 6 months of life was associated with consistent increases in body mass from 10 to 38 months. Exposures later in infancy (6-14 months, 15-23 months) were not consistently associated with increased body mass. Although effects of early exposures are modest at the individual level, they could have substantial consequences for population health. Given the prevalence of antibiotic exposures in infants, and in light of the growing concerns about childhood obesity, further studies are required to isolate effects and define life-course implications for body mass and cardiovascular risks.