A new study from the UK found that the lower a babies weight at birth the more likely they will have high blood pressure as an adult.
The study, published in the September issue of Hypertension, gathered information from more than 25,000 men and women on their weight at birth and blood pressure. Some of the participants had birth records with exact weight while others had to use recall.
They found that blood pressure decreased for every 2 pounds increase in birth weight. The effect was more dramatic for individuals over the age of 55, with blood pressures dropping by as much as 38 points for every 2 pounds increase in birth weight.
Other studies had commented on this trend, but this was the first to show such a dramatic effect in those over the age of 55 when exact birth records were used.
The authors recommend that more studies need to be conducted to follow up this information, but clearly an association exists.
Low birthweight babies often have more infections when born and often remain in the hospital after delivery for various treatments. Many babies that are born smaller may have been premature, which can affect development of the lungs and other systems including the cardiovascular and renal systems.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on October 10, 2006 12:47 PM
