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The association between caesarean section and childhood obesity revisited: a cohort study

Kelli Flemming1, Christy G Woolcott, Alexander C Allen

  • 1Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|May 18, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Caesarean section is not causally linked to childhood obesity. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight is a key factor influencing this association, requiring consideration in future research on delivery mode and child weight outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal health
  • Pediatric obesity epidemiology
  • Reproductive health outcomes

Background:

  • Mode of delivery is increasingly recognized as a potential perinatal risk factor for childhood obesity.
  • Existing research on the association between caesarean section and childhood obesity yields conflicting results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether caesarean section is independently associated with childhood obesity.
  • To adjust for a comprehensive range of potential confounding factors in the analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Population-based survey of Grade 5 students in Nova Scotia, Canada.
  • Linkage with a provincial perinatal registry for comprehensive data.
  • Multiple logistic regression analysis to examine associations between caesarean section and childhood obesity at ages 10/11.

Main Results:

  • Univariate analysis showed an association between caesarean section and offspring obesity (OR 1.49).
  • After adjusting for maternal pre-pregnancy weight, the odds ratio for obesity decreased to 1.20 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.65).
  • No statistically significant associations were found when caesarean sections with or without labor were analyzed separately.

Conclusions:

  • The study does not support a causal link between caesarean section and childhood obesity.
  • Maternal pre-pregnancy weight is a significant confounder that must be accounted for in future studies.
  • Further research should consider maternal factors when examining delivery mode and childhood obesity risk.
Abstract

Keywords:
Cesarean sectionChildEpidemiologyObesity

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