IQ LINK TO BABIES WEIGHT GAIN IN FIRST MONTH
New research from the
University of Adelaide shows that weight gain and increased head size in the
first month of a baby's life is linked to a higher IQ at early school age
The study was led by
University of Adelaide Public Health researchers, who analysed data from more
than 13,800 children who were born full-term.
The results, published
in the international journalPediatrics, show that babies who put on 40%
of their birthweight in the first four weeks had an IQ 1.5 points higher by the
time they were six years of age, compared with babies who only put on 15% of
their birthweight.
Those with the biggest
growth in head circumference also had the highest IQs.
"Head
circumference is an indicator of brain volume, so a greater increase in head
circumference in a newborn baby suggests more rapid brain growth," says
the lead author of the study, Dr Lisa Smithers from the University of
Adelaide's School of Population Health.
"Overall, newborn
children who grew faster in the first four weeks had higher IQ scores later in
life," she says.
"Those children
who gained the most weight scored especially high on verbal IQ at age 6. This
may be because the neural structures for verbal IQ develop earlier in life,
which means the rapid weight gain during that neonatal period could be having a
direct cognitive benefit for the child."
Previous studies have
shown the association between early postnatal diet and IQ, but this is the
first study of its kind to focus on the IQ benefits of rapid weight gain in the
first month of life for healthy newborn babies.
Dr Smithers says the
study further highlights the need for successful feeding of newborn babies.
"We know that
many mothers have difficulty establishing breastfeeding in the first weeks of
their baby's life," Dr Smithers says.
"The findings of
our study suggest that if infants are having feeding problems, there needs to
be early intervention in the management of that feeding."
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