The press release notes that there is plenty of research on the effects of low birth weight on outcomes in adulthood, but there is “limited evidence linking LBW with mid-childhood outcomes through which the adult outcomes manifest.”
According to the authors, this is the first study they know of that estimates the effects of birth weight on cognitive outcomes in the mid-childhood years of children in India.
A 10 percent increase in birth weight increases cognitive test scores by 0.11 standard deviations at ages 5-8 years. Health policy must be designed to improve neonatal outcomes in India and other LMICs, with policies and initiatives that promote access to prenatal care and maternal nutrition to reduce the risk of LBW.
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