Antibiotics 'make your baby fatter': Scientists claim they could do more harm than good

By the time they were three, children treated with antibiotics were 22% more likely to have a greater body mass index

Poor diet and a lack of exercise may not be the only reasons that young children pile on the pounds.
A new study reveals that giving sick babies antibiotics to cure them could lead to weight increase and do more harm than good.

A study of more than 11,000 ­children found those given the drugs before they were six months old are more prone to be overweight than those who had not.

By the time they were three, children treated with antibiotics were 22% more likely to have a greater body mass index.

And it’s all down to ­antibiotics killing off bacteria in the intestine, said eminent professors Leonardo Trasande and Jan Blustein.

Prof Trasande, of New York ­University, said: “We typically consider obesity an epidemic grounded in unhealthy diet and exercise, yet increasingly studies suggest it’s more ­complicated.

“Microbes in our intestines may play critical roles in how we absorb ­calories and exposure to antibiotics, especially early in life, may kill off healthy bacteria that influence how we absorb nutrients into our bodies, and would otherwise keep us lean.”

The two professors said their study of children born in 1991 and 92, published online in the International Journal of Obesity, does not prove antibiotics in early life cause young children to be overweight.

But it does show a connection, and further studies will need to be conducted to explore the issue of a direct link.

Prof Jan Blustein said: “For many years now farmers have known antibiotics are great at producing heavier cows for market.

“While we need more research to confirm our findings this carefully conducted study suggests antibiotics influence weight gain in humans – and especially children.”

'Tooth Tattoo' That Could Save Your Life

A 'tooth tattoo' made from silk strands and gold wires could be used to detect life-threatening illnesses, researchers have said.

The tiny wireless device sticks to dental enamel and transmits real-time updates on chemicals in the breath and saliva.

Engineers at Princeton University in America have used it to detect bacteria that causes surgical infections and stomach ulcers, and say it could also be used to recognise viruses.

The sensor is in the early stages of development, but the university’s researchers say it could one day be used to monitor human health with unprecedented accuracy.

During a demonstration, a volunteer breathed across a prototype sensor attached to a cow’s tooth.
It generated an instant response which was sent to a nearby monitor.

"The antenna coil is what transmits the signal," said Michael McAlpine, the team's principal investigator, “you don't need a battery."

Details of the invention were reported in the medical journal Nature Communications.
The researchers created the device by bundling the silk and gold with graphene - an extremely thin sheet of carbon.

Yet despite its complexity, it can be applied to a tooth's surface with water "like a child's transfer tattoo", the university said.

The sensor is currently too big to fit onto a human tooth, and needs further work to scale it down.
The team also plans to improve the sensor so that it can withstand eating and brushing over a long period of time.

"Ideally, you want something that would be there for a while. We have a way to go before we could master that," Mr McAlpine said.