Low birth weight is a common phenomenonamong malnourished mothers. However, its implication at an adult stage is less known to many people. Low birth weight is associated with different health complications as a child grows to adulthood. For instance, a study presented by Center for Disease Prevention and Control claim that a child weighing less than 5.5 pounds at birth is likely to drop out of school ( Chen et al., 2014).
Barker hypothesized that low birth weight is a condition that may continue as undernutrition in a child and progress to adulthood. Barker further hypothesizes that such children may end up developing different cognitive problems that may affect them at an adult stage. Other than cognitive challenges, low birth weight leads to retardation in growth ( Luyckx & Brenner 2015). This is further linked to other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension at an adult stage. Notably, slow and reduced growth rate comes as a result of different factors. Examples include genetic and environmental factors. However, slow growth due to low birthweight is the sole factor that can potentially lead to health complications at adulthood.
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Furthermore, low birthweight is the leading cause of economic and social issues at an adult stage that later links to unhealthy social life. A research that was done by Jonson and Shoeni, the two leading figures at U-M National Poverty Center state that poor economic state during pregnancy is the leading driving force to low birth weight. ("Born to lose: How birth weight affects adult health and success," 2018). They further assert that poor economic state affects such children at an adult stage.
In an art shell, low birth weight is a serious condition that does not only tamper with a child’sgrowth but may later affect his or her adult life. Barker and different authors admit that a child whose birthweight is below the recommended standard is at risk of developing different health complication at an adult stage.
References
Born to lose: How birth weight affects adult health and success. (2018). Retrieved from https://news.umich.edu/born-to-lose-how-birth-weight-affects-adult-health-and-success/
Chen, A. C., Chung, M. Y., Chang, J. H., & Lin, H. C. (2014). Pathogenesis implication for necrotizing enterocolitis prevention in preterm very-low-birth-weight infants. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 58 (1), 7-11.
Luyckx, V. A., & Brenner, B. M. (2015). Birth weight, malnutrition, and kidney-associated outcomes—a global concern. Nature Reviews Nephrology , 11 (3), 135.
