Heavier babies have higher IQs

The IQ of children at age 7 years is directly related to birth weight throughout the normal range, an analysis of a large US cohort study has found. Matte et al (p 310) analysed data on around 1700 families with two or more siblings of the same sex and found that the relation between IQ and birth weight remained evident after family and social factors were fully adjusted for. Although the increases in IQ with weight were too small to be relevant to individuals, they could be important at the population level.


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Relevant Article

Influence of variation in birth weight within normal range and within sibships on IQ at age 7 years: cohort study
Thomas D Matte, Michaeline Bresnahan, Melissa D Begg, and Ezra Susser
BMJ 2001 323: 310-314. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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