A new study suggests that your weight at birth could be linked to your mental health later in life.
The American Psychological Association said in its analysis that babies with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) are more likely to have mental health problems, with the risk reaching into their 30s.
“Our findings provide evidence that individuals born at extremely low birth weight are at higher overall risk for psychological difficulties than their normal birth weight peers,” lead author Karen Mathewson, PhD, of McMaster University, said in an APA news release. “These difficulties most frequently involve attention, anxiety-related and social problems.”
Researchers analyzed 41 studies, which comprised a total of 2,712 people who were born at just over 2 pounds and 11,127 others who were a normal birth weight (NBW). The studies occurred over the course of nearly three decades in 12 countries in North America, Europe or Australia.
The study found that the low birth weight babies were more likely to have ADHD as children and adolescents.
“Children born at ELBW were reported by parents and teachers to be at significantly greater risk than NBW controls for inattention and hyperactivity, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms,” researchers wrote in the review. “ELBW children were also at greater risk for conduct and oppositional disorders, autistic symptoms, and social difficulties.”
Researchers found that low birth weight adolescents also were at greater risk for ADHD, along with social problems, internalizing, and inattention, according to the review. Adults were reported to have higher levels of depression, anxiety, shyness and social difficulties.
But why would your weight at birth influence your mental health at a young — or even older age? Researchers said the risks “may stem from biological responses of the infant to difficult prenatal conditions and postnatal stresses following early birth.”
“The consistency of the findings across geographical regions suggests that these attentional, behavioral and social outcomes may be contributed to by developmentally programmed, biological factors,” Mathewson said, adding that although there is a risk for mental issues with ELBW survivors, it doesn’t mean they all will develop the disorders.
The study highlights that treatment for mental health problems may be needed in the early years of a child’s life, as the problems may continue “throughout development, with long-term consequences for psychological and social well-being.”
