A new study conducted by Columbia University used an algorithm to identify “significant associations” between what month a person is born and cases of ADHD, asthma, heart disease and 52 other diseases, according to Time magazine.
The results of this study show that those born in May seem to have the lowest risk for disease, while those born in October, well, it’s not great. You came in last overall.
Though previous research had explored the connection between disease risk and birth season, this study confirmed 39 associations as well as laid out 16 new ones. Researchers looked at more than 1,600 diseases and 1.7 million patients treated in New York between 1985 and 2013 to identify the months most associated with asthma (October and July babies), ADHD (November babies, matching a Swedish study), and nine kinds of heart disease. They plan to replicate the study in other locations, to better identify the environmental factors contributing to such disparities.
But don’t get your panties in too big a bunch, as is always with science there are caveats.
“It’s important not to get overly nervous about these results because even though we found significant associations the overall disease risk is not that great,” said Nicholas Tatonetti, the study’s senior author and an assistant professor at Columbia University Medical Center. “The risk related to birth month is relatively minor when compared to more influential variables like diet and exercise.”
Good to know, especially since I am born in October. Phew…
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