The atmospheric pollutionhas an impact on health and can lead in particular to asthma, allergies. A new survey published in the United States in Environmental Health Perspectives provides proof that polluted air also influences the weight of babies at birth. The study was based on 3 million newborns in 9 countries including the United States, Europe, Africa, South Korea and Brazil. The data was collected between the mid-1990s and the end of the 2000s.
The researchers found that the more polluted the air, the higher the rate of births with less than “normal” weight.
A low birth weight, less than 2.5 kilos, increases the risk of infant mortality, childhood illnesses. Being underweight is also associated with an increased risk of longer-term health problems like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Tobacco, alcohol and drug use are other well-known risk factors for babies with low birth weight.
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