Researchers at Fudan University's Public Health College say Chinese children are exposed to antibiotics through the food they eat, and those drugs are partially responsible for the growing obesity problem. The research results were published in the latest edition of Environmental International. ICS Reporter talked with the scientists and tells us more.
The research team spent three years from 2012 to 2014 taking daily urine samples from 1,500 students between the ages of 8 and 11 in Shanghai and the neighboring provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu. They found a total of 21 types of antibiotics in the samples, and say nearly 80% of the students had at least one antibiotic in their body on a daily basis.
"We divided the urine samples into three groups, based on the level of antibiotics,"
"Meanwhile, we measured each student's height, weight and waistline. Comparing the three groups, we found that school children have a higher risk of obesity when they are exposed to antibiotics," said Professor Wang Hexing, Public Health College of Fudan University.
Wang says most of the antibiotics discovered are used in cattle breeding. So they suspect the children were regularly eating food or drinking water polluted by antibiotics. Unlike human antibiotics, exposure to veterinary antibiotics is long-term and low-dose.
But the researchers say there is currently no evidence to suggest human antibiotics can cause obesity.
Doctor Luo Feihong says nearly 40% of his outpatients show signs early puberty or obesity. That's an obvious increase from just a few years ago. He says the research findings could mean a change in the way those kids are treated.
"Normally we doctors would see if the kids have tumors or a hormonal problem, and later look at the factors in their lifestyle. At this stage, tests on the level of veterinary antibiotics in the human body are not widely used,"
"If the connection is verified, we have one more idea to prevent children from obesity," said Dr. Luo Feihong, Children's Hospital of Fudan University.
"Controlling antibiotics requires joint efforts by multiple government agencies, especially when it comes to supervision,"
"China's animal husbandry and aquaculture are abusing antibiotics, which is one of the main causes of water pollution. Only when we can control the sources can we really solve the problem," said Professor Wang Na, Public Health College of Fudan University.
China consumed 162,000 tons of antibiotics in 2013, and 52% of them were used in cattle breeding. More than 50,000 tons of the drugs were discharged into the country's waterways and soil.
