Early antibiotic use linked to higher childhood BMI

Sanna Karlsson was not given penicillin for her sore throat. Ten days later, both she and the baby she was expecting were dead of sepsis. The tragedy puts the spotlight on a difficult debate — is Sweden too stingy with antibiotics?

According to a recent study, the chances of becoming overweight and obese are higher if a child takes antibiotics in the first two years of life.

Early antibiotic use linked to higher childhood BMI

Taking antibiotics within the first two years of life is linked to a higher body mass index (BMI) in childhood, according to a new study. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2025 Meeting, held April 24-28 in Honolulu.

Tots given common drug have 20% higher risk of obesity by school, study warns

ANTIBIOTICS are one of the miracles of modern medicine. The drugs have transformed the treatment of deadly bacterial infections, made surgery possible, and saved millions of lives in the process. GettyAntibiotics taken before the age of two have been linked to increased risk of obesity in later childhood.[/caption] However, there is a growing body of research that suggests antibiotics taken in early life could come with health risks, including i…

A Finnish study presented at PAS 2025 shows that taking antibiotics in the first two years of life increases the risk of overweight by 9% and childhood obesity by 20%. The research on 33,095 children revealed that early exposure to antibiotics influences weight gain more than administration during pregnancy or at birth. Doctors are urged to prescribe antibiotics with caution in young children, especially in cases where they are not absolutely ne…

Early Antibiotic Use Linked to Higher Childhood Obesity Risk

A new study reveals that taking antibiotics within the first two years of life is associated with higher childhood body mass index (BMI) and increased obesity risk. Researchers found that early antibiotic exposure raised BMI, and increased the risk of being overweight by 9% and obese by 20%.