Your child’s birthday could indicate a lot more than your star sign.
A growing body of work is finding that a person’s date of conception or birth may impact the rest of their lives — from their weight to their chances of becoming a star athlete.
The latest evidence? A recent study from the University of Tokyo, where research found a person’s metabolism could vary depending on when they were conceived.
The data showed that those conceived during the colder months — Oct. 17 to April 15, to be specific — have more active brown fat adipose tissue, a type of fat that burns calories to keep us warm and helps to regulate blood sugar.
Babies born during these months were also found to have lower BMI, less fat accumulation around the organs and increased energy expenditure, all of which are indicators of good overall metabolic health.
Lead scientist Takeshi Yoneshiro explained that the “study suggests that the environment experienced by parents even before pregnancy can shape the child’s metabolic health later in life,” according to The Times.
This is supported by previous research on mice, which found correlations between weather conditions and the metabolism of offspring.
The study also aligns with decades of research showing that when a child is conceived and born can impact their health and lifestyle outcomes.
One study conducted at the University of Cambridge found that babies born in the summer were healthier in other aspects beyond metabolic health.
Those born during this time of year were slightly heavier at birth, taller as adults, and went through puberty slightly later, which is associated with improved health outcomes for adults.
The results “support the growing notion that promoting good health of mothers during, and even before, pregnancy has very long-lasting impacts on the next generation,” Ken Ong, program leader at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, told TODAY.
And what months are associated with negative health outcomes?
Babies conceived in Jan. and Feb. are more likely to develop a food allergy, particularly to milk or eggs, a study from Oulu University found.
Those created in the first two months of the year have an 11% risk of becoming susceptible to a food allergy, while those whose life began in utero during September or October have a 6% chance.
Scientists believe this could be due to the high levels of allergens in the air during the 11th week of their gestation period — a crucial time for producing antibodies to allergens.
Birth dates have also been indicated as a predictor of people’s athletic stardom and academic success.
A research project at the University of Strathclyde found that there were almost twice as many January-born soccer players at last summer’s European football tournament as there were December-born players — despite both months having similar birth rates.
These recent findings further strengthen the evidence behind the “relative age effect,” which claims that athletes and students born earlier in the selection year for sports teams and academic grades have an initial advantage.
The phenomenon was first discovered in 1983 when researchers analyzed the birth dates of elite amateur ice hockey teams.
It has since been connected to star athletes and great academics, as these children are nearly a year older and more practiced than their younger teammates or classmates.
While this all might seem like scientists are giving parents clues as to when to schedule their baby’s birthday for optimal health outcomes, experts instead say the research can provide insights into the connection between a baby’s environment and their health and how certain diseases function.
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