A low weight index or body mass index in newborns would increase the risk of having a larger left ventricle.
Size matters in newborns. It predicts the risk of contracting certain diseases in the future. American researchers show that when weight and height are combined, predictions are more accurate. In Early Human Developmentthey explain that a body mass index or a weight index that is too low increases the risk of heart problems.
More data for a more complete result
Most studies look only at birth weight, but for Dr. Brian Stansfield, adding height provides more accurate data. “Birth weight, which is important, only informs a part of fetal growth, explains the researcher, while also taking size into consideration gives a more complete view of fetal growth and the growth trajectory.”
The risk of left ventricular hypertrophy
379 healthy adolescents participated in the research. The researchers retrieved data on their birth weight and height. A low weight index, which is weight divided by height cubed, is associated with a higher risk of having a larger left ventricle. However, left ventricular hypertrophy increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The scientists point out that the body mass index, or the weight divided by the height squared, is also a good indicator, but they preferred the weight index because it gives more importance to the height, as it is at the cube.
Taking into account the proportionality of newborns rather than their weight alone also makes it possible to consider different physiognomies: a baby born to short parents will probably be smaller than average, but he will not necessarily have any health problem related to to his size. Conversely, it can identify infants that are too small and too light due to growth retardation in utero. According to the World Health Organization, one in seven babies is underweight at birth in the world.
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