Cleaning Products May Disrupt Kids' Gut Bacteria, Lead To Obesity

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Cleaning products may disrupt kids' gut bacteria, lead to obesity

Canadian researchers have found a link between household cleaners and overweight children a relationship that could be connected to gut bacteria

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2018 ) :Canadian researchers have found a link between household cleaners and overweight children a relationship that could be connected to gut bacteria.

A study, published in Canadian Medical Association Journal, analyzed the gut flora of 757 infants at 3 to 4 months, and their weight at ages 1 and 3 years. The researchers looked at exposure to disinfectants, detergents, and eco-friendly products used in the home, Health news reported.

They found that frequent use of household disinfectants like multi-surface cleaners was linked to lower levels of Haemophilus and Clostridium bacteria, but higher levels of Lachnospiraceae in the gut flora of babies 3 to 4 months old. Significantly, their body mass index (BMI) was higher at age 3.

Yet these same associations were not found with eco-friendly cleaners.

"Very surprising indeed," said Dr. S. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in California. "While it has been shown that gut flora can affect obesity, no study has made such a strong connection with frequency of cleaning and types of product used with development of overweight/obesity." "There have been recent studies showing the importance of gut bacteria on weight," said Dr Gina Posner, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in California Posner. "If you are using lots of chemicals that then kill that bacteria, it only makes sense that this could lead to problems with weight." "We need to know which chemicals specifically are the problem � since this study did not look at individual ingredients � and how much of an effect it has on BMI," he said. "The study shows that there is a statistically significant effect on BMI, but that does not mean that it is clinically significant." Posner said it's a good idea not to worry about dirt so much.

Use regular soap over the antibacterial soap, generally speaking. Her advice: Let your child get dirty.

"Don't obsess about your child getting sick and touching 'dirty' surfaces," Posner said. "It is good for your future health to be exposed to different bacteria and viruses. Obviously, we still want to emphasize handwashing, but over-cleaning can lead to problems as well." "As the hygiene hypothesis has shown, the cleaner a people we are, the more allergies, autoimmune diseases, and obesity can develop," said Ganjian. "Don't wash (hands) too much or too little. Try to be like Goldilocks and stay right in the middle. Stay away from the extremes." The hygiene hypothesis is the theory that an extremely clean environment can affect a child's immune system, putting them at increased risk for certain conditions such as asthma and allergies.

"The study also showed that increased washing has led to a decrease in Haemophilus and Clostridium, which themselves can cause debilitating infections, such as ear infections, meningitis, and bloody diarrhea," Ganjian said. "We have to make sure that before we recommend less washing, that we won't start seeing an increase in the rate of these infections." Ganjian said it's also important to remember that there's no magic answer to weight gain.

"Don't think that now you can eat all the junk food you want, and as long as you don't clean your house often, you won't gain weight," he said. "As a pediatric obesity specialist, I still recommend to people that the best prevention and treatment of obesity at this time is eating healthy and exercising."A study found that frequent use of household disinfectants like multi-surface cleaners was linked to lower levels of certain bacteria, like Haemophilus and Clostridium bacteria, but higher levels of Lachnospiraceae in the gut flora of babies 3 to 4 months old.