Caesars and obesity?
March 16, 2012
PROFESSOR Erika Isolauri from
the University of Turku in Finland
has traveled to our shores to reveal
research which shows caesarean
born babies may have a higher risk
of allergies and obesity later in life.
Keynote speaker at a joint
Perinatal Society of Australia-NZ
and Federation of Asian and
Oceania Perinatal Societies
Congress, Professor Isolauri said
infants delivered vaginally receive
protective bacteria during delivery,
helping to colonise and protect the
infant’s gut.
“The good bacteria that babies
pick up during the natural birth
process play an important role in
reducing an infant’s risk of
becoming overweight or obese in
their early years of life,” she said.
“Following a vaginal or caesarean
birth, breastfeeding is the best way
to provide infants with these
beneficial bacteria, known as
probiotics,” she added.
Isolauri backed up her statement
saying that research suggests that
breastfed infants are up to 22 per
cent less likely to be overweight or
obese in childhood.
“Whether a baby is born vaginally
or by caesarean, I encourage all
Australian parents to consider a
nutrition source that provides the
essential probiotics for a healthy
immune system,” she added.
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