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Association between caesarean section delivery and obesity in childhood: a longitudinal cohort study in Ireland

Gwinyai Masukume1,2, Fergus P McCarthy1,2,3, Philip N Baker4

  • 1The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

BMJ Open
|March 18, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Caesarean section (CS) birth was linked to higher body mass index (BMI) in infants at 6 months. However, this association did not persist, showing no long-term risk of childhood obesity related to delivery mode.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Obstetrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Mode of delivery, including caesarean section (CS), is increasingly common globally.
  • Early childhood adiposity is a growing public health concern with potential long-term health implications.
  • Understanding the relationship between birth mode and childhood body composition is crucial for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between caesarean section (CS) birth and body fat percentage (BF%), body mass index (BMI), and overweight/obesity risk in early childhood.
  • To determine if any observed associations persist beyond infancy.
  • To examine the influence of delivery mode on long-term child health outcomes related to weight.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective longitudinal cohort study design.
  • Recruitment of infants from the Babies After Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (BASP) cohort.
  • Assessment of body fat percentage (BF%) and body mass index (BMI) at various time points, with overweight/obesity defined by International Obesity Task Force criteria.

Main Results:

  • Infants born by CS showed a significantly higher mean BMI at 6 months compared to vaginally born infants (adjusted mean difference=0.24; p=0.009).
  • Body fat percentage (BF%) at 2 months did not significantly differ by delivery mode.
  • No significant differences in the risk of being overweight or obese were observed at 2 or 5 years of age between CS and vaginally born infants.

Conclusions:

  • While caesarean section (CS) delivery was associated with a higher BMI at 6 months, this effect did not persist into later childhood.
  • The study found no evidence to support a long-term association between the mode of delivery and the risk of childhood obesity.
  • Findings suggest that other factors may play a more significant role in the long-term development of childhood obesity.
Abstract

Keywords:
Irelandbody compositionbody fatcaesarean sectionchildhoodobesity

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