Do Antibiotics Contribute To Obesity?

sciencehabit writes "Farmers have long used antibiotics to make cows, pigs, and turkeys gain weight faster. Now, scientists claim that receiving antibiotics early in life may also make children grow fat (abstract). The researchers believe the drugs change the composition of the bacterial population in the gut in a crucial developmental stage that may have a long-lasting impact."

Comments

Re:They Do, Just Not By Much

[Sarten-X]

Sadly their interpretation is not what I expect to be hearing soon in my (liberal-biased) community. Instead, I'll hear something like "See? This is one more reason not to use antibiotic cleanser in my bathroom, even when sick! And I'll keep my kids far away from the hospital, because they use antibiotics everywhere!"

Sensational journalism is a disservice to the research it presents. Kudos to NPR for trying to keep things level-headed.