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The relationship between birthweight, weight gain in infancy, and educational attainment in childhood

Sally S Corbett1, Robert F Drewett, Matthew Durham

  • 1Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust, Durham University, Durham, UK.

Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
|January 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Infant weight gain within the normal range positively impacts later picture vocabulary skills. However, birth weight showed a stronger association with overall cognitive outcomes than postnatal growth.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Pediatric health
  • Cognitive science

Background:

  • Previous research linked failure to thrive in infancy to cognitive deficits.
  • The impact of normal infant weight gain on later cognition remained understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between infant weight gain within the normal range and educational attainment at age 10.
  • To compare the influence of early growth (prenatal and postnatal) on cognitive outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A large prospective birth cohort study (n=3418) was utilized.
  • Infant weight data, gestational age, birth weight, and socioeconomic status (Townsend Deprivation Score) were collected.
  • Cognitive abilities were assessed at age 10 using picture vocabulary, non-verbal ability, maths, and reading tests.

Main Results:

  • A significant positive association was found between infant weight gain and picture vocabulary scores, even after adjusting for covariates.
  • Birth weight demonstrated a significant association with all four cognitive outcomes, with a stronger positive effect up to one SD above average.
  • Postnatal weight gain had a less pronounced impact on cognitive outcomes compared to prenatal growth.

Conclusions:

  • Normal infant weight gain is associated with better later vocabulary development.
  • Prenatal growth (birth weight) appears to be a more critical factor for cognitive development than postnatal weight gain in this cohort.

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