Smaller babies don't mean more heart risk

The danger of low birth weight and later heart risk may have been over-estimated, according to a review by The George Institute for International Health in Sydney.

The study review found only a small association between birth weight and the future risk of heart disease. "We found a 1kg difference- going from 2.5kg to 3.5kg in birth weight- was associated with just a 10-15 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease in later life, "say Dr Rachel Huxley, the study's lead author. "Some report have suggested a kilogram difference carries a 24-4- percent greater risk."

Huxley says effort to increase early fetal growth can change birth weight only by as much as 100g, which translate to just a 1-2 per cent lower risk of heart disease. Risk factors operating in later adult life, such as smoking and obesity, are more important, she say.