Antibiotics in infancy may cause obesity in adults

Altered microbiome may prompt fat gain later

PLUMP UP  Mice treated as babies with low doses of penicillin (right, MRI image of an animal’s abdomen shown) nearly doubled their body fat when fed high-fat diets as adults. Mice that didn’t get antibiotics as babies (left) didn’t pack on as much fat on the same diet.   

L.M. Cox and Sungheon G. Kim

Antibiotics given to infants may have life-long consequences, a study of mice suggests.