Birth-weight determines future health
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
September 14, 2011 10:38am CST
I saw a fascinating UK TV programme last night about a 20-year study of low-birth-weight babies and how their health had been affected by poor nutrition in the womb. The study, carried out in countries throughout the world, is continuing to shed new light on the links between a baby's life while in the womb, and future diseases like Diabetes and high blood-pressure followed by serious heart conditions. What they have discovered so far is that babies born with a low birth-weight are more prone to illness in later life because they have not received the correct nutrients while developing. This can also affect their cognitive development.
This is a very important ongoing study as it impacts on everyone on the planet! So, it is not our lifestyle that determines how fit and healthy we are but our birth-weight.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
14 Sep 11
I think there are some flaws in this study. First, a "low birth-weight" baby isn't necessarily deprived of nutrients in the womb. There is the matter of genetics. Some people are naturally smaller and tend to have smaller babies.
Secondly, what about babies born before gestation is completed? Babies born within the last two to three weeks of term have just as much chance of being healthy as full term babies.
And thirdly, it isn't logical to throw all the arguments into one basket and say that one thing causes all our ills. Every person is different and reacts differently to his environment.
1 person likes this
@BannedHelsing (693)
• Philippines
15 Sep 11
You're right. We should not expect that if the new born baby is within the average birth-weight, it will be healthy throughout his life. There will be other factors like the environment where he lives or the nutrition he gets during growing up years.
But, i think it is safe to say that average birth-weight babies are just bigger than the low birth-weight, :D just kidding.
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
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16 Sep 11
This doesn't mean that every low birth-weight baby will have problems. It is just that LBWBs have a higher risk of future health-problems than babies weighing more at birth.
www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20090402/low-birth-weight-linked-to-heart-risk
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
14 Sep 11
That's interesting. I didn't know that. Although I'm guessing it doesn't mean that if the kid is too heavy that he'll be healthy when he grows up.
1 person likes this
@youless (112595)
• Guangzhou, China
15 Sep 11
I am interested in a TV program like this. However, you didn't mention what is the suitable weight for a new born baby. As today most women will have a good nutrition food and therefore usually the new born babies are heavier than before. I know that over weight new born baby is not so good. But I wonder the ideal weight about it.
I love China
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
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16 Sep 11
According to the research, the ideal weight is about 8lbs, here in The West. I suppose it does depend on the size of the mother too. If she is of a small stature of course her baby will be smaller. It is a world study so naturally there will be differences.
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
•
16 Sep 11
The study is also showing that people who are born in good health but don't look after themselves as well as they should do, still don't develop bad health as quickly as those at risk because of a low birth-weight. That actually isn't good news when you think about it. Some will think that because they were born healthy they don't need to be careful about their lifestyle. Of course they're wrong. If we want a good healthy life we must look after and respect our bodies, fuelling them with what they need to stay in fine condition.
@GemmaR (8517)
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14 Sep 11
I think that it makes sense that babies who are born smaller will not be as good at fighting diseases and things like that in their later life simply because of the fact that we develop our immune systems when we are in the womb and wouldn't have been able to do it as well if we had been a little bit smaller when we were born. I have a friend who was born very prematurely and she has a lot of health problems now as a result of that. She does her best to live her life to the full, but still has many problems because of her health conditions.
1 person likes this
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
•
16 Sep 11
This is what Dr. Baker of Southampton University, UK, is discovering on his travels throughout the world. He and his team have found that tiny babies have insulin-resistance which leads to the risk of future Diabetes.
I'm so sorry that your friend has such a challenging time with her health.
Blessings to you both!
@Sabrene (24)
• Saudi Arabia
14 Sep 11
Hi there!
Good topic. That's why expecting mothers are advised time and again to eat healthy and organic. Every move you make effects the baby in the womb. It is better to take care nine months than to live a worrisome life ahead with the malnourished kid.
Because of these mistakes during pregnancy, the kid and his parents suffer. Eat healthy, keep a food diary, avoid canned and processed food, walk, think positive, be nice to everybody around you and stay relaxed. Silence is a virtue, so be silent instead of joining in nonsensical talks....and a healthy, intelligent baby will be produced.
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
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16 Sep 11
There are other studies that show that everything that happens to the mother, inside and out, does affect the baby. The developing baby hears everything around it and can be disturbed by sudden noises, even though the mother may not be.
