Low Birth Weight Increases Long-Term Health Problems

Underweight at birth escalates a child's risks of developing a wide range of diseases like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and diabetes in adulthood, researchers reveal.

Apart from that, the study published in the October issue of The FASEB Journal found the occurrence placing girls at the grip of high blood pressure before and during pregnancy, and increasing the chances of giving birth to a baby with low birth weight.

About one in every 12 babies is born with a low birth weight and it is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality or death before 28 days of age in the country. A birth weight less than 2,500 grams (five pounds and eight ounces) is considered to be a low birth weight.

"Ensuring adequate growth of the baby in the womb will help to minimize the risk of cardiovascular diseases for babies when they become adults," Dr. Mary E. Wlodek, a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Physiology at the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, said in a statement. "Greater considerations regarding the effects of delayed child-bearing may also help to provide an optimal start to life."

The findings are based on the experiments conducted by the researchers on older female rats (12 months), with low birth weight. Dr. Mary and her colleagues tracked the health of the rats before and during pregnancy.

The older rats were compared with a group of younger pregnant rats (four-months-old). Results showed the older mothers having more difficulties to conceive, and facing a series of health problems and giving birth to small babies.

"This report offers more evidence that there's a Goldilocks zone for optimal human weight starting at birth," said Gerald Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "If you're too big, there are numerous studies suggesting an increased risk for long-term health problems. Now, we're seeing that if you're born too small, long-term health risks may also exist as well."

Low birth weight of children has been a concern among parents as they are at a higher risk of developing learning problems, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and vision/hearing loss.

Adding to the list, previous studies have highlighted other health risks associated with small babies. A study published in The Journal of Pediatrics found premature and small babies (weighing 3.3 pounds or below) at higher risks of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than others.