Health Minute: Household Cleaners Linked To Childhood Obesity


Your children’s health may be seriously affected by everyday cleaning products.
A new study suggests that multi-surface household cleaners could be making kids overweight.
A link was discovered by health officials between infants living in homes where, at least weekly, anti-microbial disinfectants are used and elevated levels of a digestive bacteria in their stomachs.
The bacteria, Lachnospiraceae, is linked to obesity. The higher the usage of products, the more bacteria children had.
Children had a higher body mass index than children who lived in homes without frequent usage as both groups reached age three.
Research also showed that there was no increase in the bacteria associated with eco-friendly cleaners without bacteria-killing ingredients.
A senior author of the study believes the results show the gut bacteria is the issue.
Researchers say, despite the discovery, that it’s still far-fetched to say disinfectants cause childhood obesity.