IN A surprising twist, attending daycare might just lower the risk of type 1 diabetes in kids.
New research, published in JAMA Paediatrics, looked at 22 studies and over 100,000 kids, revealing that children who go to daycare, compared to those who don't, seemed to have a slightly reduced risk of developing the disease.
Researchers suspect it's all about the microbes - kids who spend time at daycare are exposed to more germs, which could help their immune systems stay sharp and prevent the onset of diabetes.
But hold your applause - don't rush to sign your kid up for the nearest daycare just yet.
The study did find a slight difference in risk, but the numbers weren't quite "significant" enough to declare a definitive cause-and-effect relationship yet.
Still, with a combined odds ratio of 0.68 (meaning about a 32% reduced risk), this could be the most unexpected health benefit of daycare we've seen, since the discovery that running around at recess isn't just for fun, it is also good for your children's health.
So, while we wait for more studies to confirm this potentially groundbreaking discovery, maybe it's time to reframe your thoughts on that dreaded daycare bill.
It could be helping your children avoid more than just sniffles by teaching them, and parents too, to embrace germs as their new best friends.
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