Excessive hygiene combined with early use of antibiotics can lead to inflammatory bowel disease in children, a new study being presented in the US this week will show.
Researchers found the condition was linked to wealthier families with a western diet whose kids took antibiotics before the age of five.
Known as IBD, it covers two conditions, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. While basic hygiene is recommended when raising a child, allowing children to play outdoors, interact with pets, and avoid antibiotics appears to be beneficial for developing a strong immune system.
Excessive hygiene can reduce microbes in the environment and interfere with the development of a robust gut, so children from rich families who follow a western diet and use antibiotics can be more at risk.
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Nisha Thacker at The University of Newcastle in Australia and the study’s lead author and a gastrointestinal dietitian, said: “Paediatric IBD cases are rising globally, and approximately one in four of all IBD cases are now diagnosed before age 21.
“Many of these factors can impact our gut microbiota and may have a particularly strong effect in a child.
“A western diet, high in sugars and ultra-processed foods and low in vegetables, is a prime example.”
The study is being presented at the 2023 Digestive Disease Week in Chicago, which runs until Saturday (May 13).
This is a global meeting of physicians, researchers and industry in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
The study found that being exposed to antibiotics before the age of five could triple the risk of IBD among children, while being given four or more courses of antibiotics increased the risk 3.5 times.
Children from a lower socioeconomic status had a 65 per cent lower risk of developing IBD, while non-Caucasian children living in a high-income country were three times more likely to develop the disease.
Another risk factor was early exposure to second-hand smoke, which doubled the risk of IBD. However eating lots of vegetables, having two or more siblings and being exposed to pets during childhood reduced the risk.
Globally, there has been a rise of young people developing the disease, with one in four of all cases now being diagnosed before the age of 21.
Those suffering from IBD have an inflamed gut and could experience pain, cramps or swelling in the tummy, weight loss, extreme fatigue and diarrhoea.
Researchers worry about the impact the inflammation can have on a child’s growth and their progression into puberty.
The team analysed 36 observational studies that represented around 6.4 million children.
After collecting their results, researchers advise families to give their kids a vegetable rich diet with few processed whole foods, use antibiotics cautiously and consider adopting a pet.
They also urge them to prevent second-hand smoke exposure and avoid excessive worry about hygiene, especially in high income countries.
If a family has a history of IBD, or a child is susceptible to eczema or conditions like hay fever, breastfeeding and a healthy diet pattern may minimise the effects of a Western diet on the genetic risk.
