紐約大學的一項研究發現，小鼠實驗表明，與自然分娩相比，剖腹產可能更易導致孩子肥胖，而這可能是腸道菌群惹的禍。

Babies born via c-section are more likely to become obese than those born naturally, a study has revealed.
一項研究顯示，通過剖腹產出生的嬰兒比順產出生的嬰兒更容易出現肥胖問題。

Research from New York University found that mice born via a c-section are more likely to have an unbalanced amount of good and bad bacteria in their stomachs, which puts them at risk for gaining too much weight.
紐約大學的研究發現，剖腹產出生的小鼠胃里的有益細菌和有害細菌數量更容易出現不平衡，從而增加它們超重的風險。

For the study, researchers observed 34 mice that were delivered by c-section and 35 mice that were born naturally.
在這項研究中，研究人員對34只剖腹產出生的小鼠和35只自然分娩出生的小鼠進行觀察。

They tracked their body weights and analyzed their intestinal bacteria until the mice had grown into adults.
研究人員持續追蹤小鼠成年前的體重，并分析它們的腸道細菌。

科普：

The human gut has more bacteria than any other part of the body, both in number and diversity.
無論從數量還是種類上，腸道都是人體器官中擁有細菌最多的地方。

There are four major types of gut bacteria: Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria.
腸道細菌主要分為四種：厚壁菌門、擬桿菌門、放線菌門和變形菌門。

Firmicutes play a role in energy re-absorption, and may be linked to diabetes and obesity.
厚壁菌門的作用是重新吸收能量，它可能與糖尿病和肥胖癥相關。

Bacteroidetes account for 30 percent of all gut bacteria, and are important to our ability to digest and use energy from carbohydrates and sugars.
擬桿菌門的數量占所有腸道菌細菌的30%，對人們消化、利用碳水化合物以及糖類中的能量至關重要。

Acinobacteria produce bioactive metabolites, which we use in medicines like antibacterials.
放線菌門能產生活性代謝物，這是抗菌藥等藥物中含有的成分。

Proteobacteria are a category of bacteria that include diseases like chlamydia, but exist in healthy guts.
變形菌門中包含沙眼衣原體等病菌，這類細菌也存在于健康的腸道內。

Mice that were born via a c-section put on about 30 percent more weight than their counterparts who'd had a natural birth.
剖腹產出生的小鼠比順產出生的小鼠大約重30%。

Females, specifically, who had been delivered by c-section had gained a staggering 70 percent more weight than the mice born vaginally.
具體來說，剖腹產出生的雌性小鼠比其順產出生的同類超重多達70%。

The drastic increase is credited to a difference in the bacteria found in the stomachs of the two groups of mice.
體重明顯增長是因為兩組小鼠腸道細菌的差異。

The microbiome, which houses such bacteria, in mice born vaginally progressed normally throughout the course of the study.
能培養此類細菌的微生物菌群在自然分娩降生的小鼠體內生長正常。

However, that of mice born by c-section, matured too quickly at first and then regressed later in their lives.
然而，剖腹產出生的小鼠起初成熟速度過快，隨后發育出現倒退。

Study author Dr Maria Dominguez-Bello said: 'Our study is the first to demonstrate a causal relationship between c-section and increased body weight in mammals.'
研究報告的作者瑪麗亞?多明格斯-貝羅稱：“我們的研究首次證明了剖腹產和哺乳動物體重增加之間的因果關系。”

The research team said that c-sections, while critical in about 15 percent of births, are widely overused, citing that 50 percent of births in Brazil, Iran and the Dominican Republic are performed via the operation.
該研究團隊表示，雖然在人類的生產中約15%的剖腹產是必要的，但很多地方都在濫用剖腹產手術，例如巴西、伊朗和多米尼加共和國的剖腹產比例為50%。

They are hopeful that their work will curb unnecessary cesareans and bring down the growing obesity rate in the US.
該團隊希望他們的研究可以扼制不必要的剖腹產手術，降低美國日益嚴重的肥胖率。

Vocabulary

c-section: 剖腹產
intestinal: 腸內的
vagina: 陰道
microbiome: 微生物菌群

英文來源：每日郵報
翻譯&編輯：董靜
審校：yaning