Cesarean birth and risk of obesity from birth to adolescence: A cohort study

Recent studies have shown associations between cesarean birth and overweight. However, very few studies have evaluated weight gain or adiposity throughout life, and the majority are restricted to analysis during childhood. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of cesarean birth on obesity risk from birth to adolescence.

The study sample was drawn from live births that occurred in 1999 and 2000 in Mato Grosso-Brazil. Participants were evaluated once when they were between 0 and 5 years of age and again after approximately 10 years (2009-2011). To measure the association between cesarean birth and obesity (Body Mass Index/age >+2 z-scores), we used generalized estimation equations (GEE) with binomial distribution and log-binomial models for repeated measures, controlled by the following confounding factors: weight and length at birth, sex, gestational age, breastfeeding, maternal age and schooling, economic class in childhood, and maternal smoking during pregnancy. The exposure-time interaction term was evaluated to verify differences in the change in the risk of obesity over time.

56.8% of children in the sample were born by cesarean birth. Children born by cesarean had a higher risk of obesity from birth through adolescence (RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02; 1.46), even after adjusting for covariates, when compared with those born vaginally. However, the time-exposure interaction term was not significant, which indicates that there was no increased risk of obesity over time.

Cesarean birth was positively associated with obesity from birth to adolescence, with a persistent risk in the period evaluated.