It’s Science: Fall babies are better athletes

Studies show September birthdays are correlated to school success, but due dates that come later in autumn aren’t bad either—if you’re up for a future as a soccer mom:

Research suggests babies born in the fall are more likely to be the sports stars of tomorrow.

“With children born in the Northern Hemisphere, those born in autumn tend to have slightly bigger bone and muscle mass,” Dr. Gavin Sandercock, from the Centre for Sports and Exercise Science at Essex University told New York Magazine. “They start off with more muscle, become active earlier [and] then get involved in athletics sooner. It becomes a positive cycle.”

Sandercock’s study found children born in September, October and November are more athletically inclined than peers born in the other months of the year, especially those whose birthdays fell in April or June. (As an unathletic Aries, I can confirm.)

Between 2007 and 2010 researchers evaluated 8,550 kids between the ages of 10 and 16. They found a kids’ birth months did make a difference in their athletic abilities due to differences in cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and ability to accelerate. Specifically, kids born in November were likely to perform 10 to 15% better in skills like running, jumping and strength.

As for why, hang with me here: Previous research suggests the sports boost that babies born now will enjoy may be due to the summer sun’s proximity to their due date. It seems that extra Vitamin D could be the secret ingredient to cooking up an athlete. ☀️

There is one significant caveat: Your October-born kiddo may come out with natural talent, but that doesn’t mean they’ll always be picked first for the team. As per the “relative-age effect”—which can influence the success of athletes in college and beyond—team members who are older have an edge over younger players. So, if your October-born baby wants to play hockey, she may not have as strong of an advantage.

The bigger picture is clearer: Parents of fall babies may want to start saving now for all that athletic equipment they’ll need later. Though it might pay off if your little sports star earns a college scholarship. ?