Abstract
Background
Recent studies have shown that antibiotic exposure during infancy is associated with increased body mass in healthy children. This study was performed to investigate the association between early-life antibiotic exposure and risk of childhood obesity.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to comprehensively and quantitatively determine the association between early antibiotic exposure and risk of childhood obesity. Various databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Cochrane and Google Scholar were searched. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to pool the statistical estimates. Additionally, a subgroup analysis was performed based on the time of follow-up.
Results
Nineteen studies involving at least 671,681 participants were finally included. Antibiotic exposure in early life was significantly associated with risk of childhood weight gain and obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.06).
Conclusions
Antibiotic exposure in early life significantly increases the risk of childhood weight gain and obesity.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Conflict of interest: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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