Antibiotic overuse is a crisis that might be closely tied to another national health crisis

These dots aren’t difficult to connect.

Farmers give antibiotics to livestock. The livestock gain weight.

That’s dot one and two.

Dot three: If you give antibiotics to infant humans… You can see the next dot coming a mile away.

New York University researchers gave antibiotics to infant mice. The mice developed more weight and body fat than mice that didn’t receive the drugs.

In phase two of the study, NYU researchers examined health records of more than 11,000 children. They found that infant antibiotic use increased obesity risk when the kids became toddlers.

And just like that, the crisis of antibiotic overuse doubles in urgency.

It’s long past time to ban antibiotics for fattening livestock. Factory farmers benefit. But health dangers steadily increase.

FDA? This is ANOTHER wakeup call. Anybody listening?

Sources:
“Could Antibiotics Be A Factor In Childhood Obesity?” Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR, 8/22/12, npr.org