C-Section Babies more likely to become Overweight, Obese Adults

A recent study suggests that babies born from Cesarean sections (C-section) are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults.

According to recent findings, researchers found that those born by this birthing surgical procedure were up to 26 percent more likely to be overweight than those born through vaginal delivery.

For the study, researchers examined data from 15 studies with over 38,000 participants. The study involved data from 10 countries that showed the average body mass index of adults born through C-section. The findings suggest that they are around half a unit more than those born through vaginal delivery.

However, they note that the study was not able to explain a link between cesarean delivery and higher body weight.

"There are good reasons why C-section may be the best option for many mothers and their babies, and C-sections can on occasion be life-saving. However, we need to understand the long-term outcomes in order to provide the best advice to women who are considering Cesarean  delivery," said senior author Professor Neena Modi from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, via a press release. "This study shows that babies born by C-section are more likely to be overweight or obese later in life. We now need to determine whether this is the result of the C-section, or if other reasons explain the association."

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More information regarding the study can be found via the journal PLOS One.