Zhang Maolin, Ding Liwen, Strodl Esben, Yin Xiaona, Wen Guomin, Sun Dengli, Xian Danxia, Zhao Yafen, Zheng Yuxing, Liu Feitong, Hu Ruibiao, Zhao Lingling, Yang Weikang, Chen Weiqing
Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Front Nutr. 2025 May 15;12:1597894. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1597894. eCollection 2025.
Recent studies have mainly focused on the relationship between probiotic supplementation and childhood obesity in infancy and school-age periods, with a lack of research on preschool stage (3-7 years). This study aimed to explore whether early childhood supplementation with probiotics (0-3 years) could reduce the risk of overweight and obesity among preschoolers.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2022 among preschoolers from Longhua District, Shenzhen, China. Their mothers were asked to complete a structured questionnaire regarding socio-demographic details and probiotic supplementation of children during the first 0-3 years. Trained professionals measured the children's current weight and height. Childhood obesity was defined as the body mass index (BMI) being at or above the cut-offs for age and sex according to the BMI growth curves for Chinese children. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between probiotic supplementation in children aged 0-3 years and preschool overweight and obesity with controlling for potential confounders. Sex differences, gestational age differences, and birth weight differences were analyzed.
Among the 31,190 children included, 1,389 were classified as obese and 4,337 as overweight. After controlling for potential confounding factors, multinomial logistic regression analysis suggested that probiotic supplementation during the period of age 0-3 years was associated with a lower likelihood of being overweight (AOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.82 ~ 0.95) or obesity (AOR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.72 ~ 0.93). Children who consumed a probiotic product containing subsp R0033, R0071, and R0052 had a lower risk of being overweight (AOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80 ~ 0.96) or obese (AOR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.73 ~ 0.98). Further stratified analyses showed a significant association with a lower likelihood of obesity only in girls (AOR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.56 ~ 0.88), but no significant association was observed in boys (AOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.75 ~ 1.02).
Probiotic supplementation in children aged 0-3 years was associated with a lower risk of overweight and obesity in preschool children, with a potential gender difference. These findings highlight the potential role of early probiotic supplementation in children for preventing overweight and obesity.
近期研究主要聚焦于婴儿期和学龄期补充益生菌与儿童肥胖之间的关系，而针对学龄前阶段（3至7岁）的研究较少。本研究旨在探讨幼儿期（0至3岁）补充益生菌是否可降低学龄前儿童超重和肥胖的风险。
2022年对中国深圳龙华区的学龄前儿童进行了一项横断面调查。要求他们的母亲填写一份结构化问卷，内容涉及社会人口学细节以及孩子在0至3岁期间补充益生菌的情况。经过培训的专业人员测量了孩子们当前的体重和身高。根据中国儿童BMI生长曲线，将儿童肥胖定义为体重指数（BMI）达到或高于年龄和性别的临界值。进行多项逻辑回归分析，以探讨0至3岁儿童补充益生菌与学龄前超重和肥胖之间的关系，并控制潜在的混杂因素。分析了性别差异、胎龄差异和出生体重差异。
在纳入的31190名儿童中，1389名被归类为肥胖，4337名被归类为超重。在控制潜在混杂因素后，多项逻辑回归分析表明，0至3岁期间补充益生菌与超重（比值比[AOR]=0.88，95%置信区间[CI]=0.82至0.95）或肥胖（AOR=0.82，95%CI=0.72至0.93）的可能性较低相关。食用含有亚种R0033、R0071和R0052的益生菌产品的儿童超重（AOR=0.88，95%CI=0.80至0.96）或肥胖（AOR=0.85，95%CI=0.73至0.98）的风险较低。进一步的分层分析显示，仅在女孩中与肥胖可能性较低存在显著关联（AOR=0.70，95%CI=0.56至0.88），而在男孩中未观察到显著关联（AOR=0.88，95%CI=0.75至1.02）。
0至3岁儿童补充益生菌与学龄前儿童超重和肥胖风险较低相关，且存在潜在的性别差异。这些发现凸显了早期补充益生菌对预防儿童超重和肥胖的潜在作用。
