How should kids play football?

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how antibiotics during labour affect a child’s long-term health, on how our brains continue to develop into our early thirties, on how astringent flavours help us learn, and on how adverse childhood experiences affect fitness in adulthood. We then talk about football - why it’s great for children, why industrialised football poses some very specific risks, and how parents can navigate the risks so children can get the benefits of sports. Finally, we talk about why high-salt diets contribute to metabolic syndrome.For more information on the long-term health effects of industrialised sport in childhood, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/do-children-need-protection-fromFor more information on why childhood cruciate ruptures are up 2000% since the year 2000, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/cruciate-ruptures-are-up-2000-inTopics covered* How does in-labour antibiotic prophylaxis for Group B Strep affect the baby’s long-term health?* How does your brain continue to develop into your early thirties?* How do astringent flavours affect learning?* How do adverse childhood experiences affect adult physical fitness?* What’s good and bad about industrialised football?* How does salt contribute to metabolic syndrome?These other podcasts cover related topics:Some of my subscribers have been urging me for a while to turn on the paid option to increase my Substack visibility. I’ve quietly turned on the paid option for this newsletter. Everything stays free, but you’d like to support my work, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated.NotesIntrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Child Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.70015 UK recommendations on GBS testing: https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-our-patient-information/group-b-streptococcus-gbs-in-pregnancy-and-newborn-babies/“In the United Kingdom, where universal screening is not currently implemented and the background rate is much lower than it was in the United States before screening was implemented, it is estimated that 440 women need to receive IAP to prevent 1 case of EOD, and 3000 to prevent 1 case of EOD leading to death or severe disability.” https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)00622-6/fulltext Brain not sealed until early thirties: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65974-8Astringent FLAVOURS help you learn: http://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927125002266Another big "ACEs cause adulthood dysfunction" study: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/400839476_Adverse_childhood_experiences_and_ad[…]e_Brazilian_Longitudinal_Study_of_Adult_Health_ELSA-BrasilHigh salt intake causes leptin resistance and obesity in mice by stimulating endogenous fructose production and metabolism: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1713837115 Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe