Bigger Babies Don’t Mean Lower Heart Risk

Popular belief has it that “the bigger the baby, the better its health.” The World Health Organisation also considers low birth weight to be a risk factor for heart disease. However a new research indicates that the popular belief might actually be flawed.

Researchers at the George Institute for International Health in Sydney have found that there is only a very small association between birth weight and future heart risk; and that too is not as strong as has been suggested.

Led by Dr. Rachel Huxley, Acting Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle at the George Institute, the researchers conducted a systematic review of the data gathered from 18 studies regarding birth weight and subsequent ischemic heart disease (IHD). More than 147,000 people were covered under these studies. There were a total of 4210 non-fatal and 3308 fatal IHD events in the study population. Relative risk estimates associating birth weight with IDH were available for only 16 of the 18 studies reviewed.

The analyses revealed that one kilogram (or 2.2 pounds) higher birth weight is associated with a 10-20% reduced risk of heart disease later in life, compared to smaller sized babies. The researchers however opine that this is not a significant reduction in risk because according to them, interventions during the pregnancy period would have little effect on increasing the size of a baby.

Commenting on the study report which is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dr. Huxley said, “Although there was support for a small association between birth weight and an individual’s future risk of heart disease, the relationship is not as strong as earlier studies have suggested. Any effects that birth weight may have on heart disease are dwarfed by other risk factors operating in adult life, such as smoking and obesity.”

“It has been suggested that strategies to increase early fetal growth could reduce the number of deaths from heart disease. However, interventions during pregnancy could really only increase birth weight by as much as 3.5 ounces, which would translate in to a 1% to 2% lower risk of heart disease,” she said.

“By comparison, interventions that focus on getting individuals to make lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, exercising and eating sensibly would substantially lower the risk of heart disease and are more achievable than strategies aimed at increasing birth weight,” Dr. Huxley concluded.

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