Child ear infections linked to obesity

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Ear infections may not just be a nuisance of childhood. A series of studies presented this week at the American Psychological Assn. annual meeting in Boston have linked chronic ear infections, called otitis media, to a higher risk of being overweight or obese later in life. The studies suggest that ear infections may damage nerves that control taste. This kind of nerve damage may influence a preference for fatty or sweet foods.

Among the findings:

• A study of more than 6,500 people ages 16 to 92 showed that those with a moderate to severe history of otitis media were 62% more likely to be obese.
• A study of middle-aged women with taste nerve damage found a preference among these women for sweet and high-fat foods.
• A study of preschoolers with a history of ear infections showed that these children ate fewer vegetables and more sweets and tended to be heavier.

Another study showed that tonsillectomies may also cause taste nerve damage that triggers food preferences. A study of more than 13,000 children ages 6 to 17 found that those who had had their tonsils removed were at an increased risk for being overweight. The papers were presented from researchers at the University of Minnesota, Brown University and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

-- Shari Roan