Cohort study of birthweight, mortality, and disability
BMJ 2000; 320 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7238.840 (Published 25 March 2000) Cite this as: BMJ 2000;320:840
- Chris Power, reader (c.power@ich.ucl.ac.uk),
- Leah Li, research fellow
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH
- Correspondence to: C Power
- Accepted 1 November 1999
A study investigating the relation between fetal growth and subsequent mortality of Swedish residents born in Uppsala during 1915–29 identified slow fetal growth rate rather than small size at birth as the factor associated with increased risk of ischaemic heart disease.1 The study also showed an expected association between birthweight and infant mortality. Surprisingly, birthweight was also associated with mortality in children aged 1–14 years. This association has not been previously observed, so we sought confirmation of the relation in the 1958 British birth cohort study. Because childhood death is now rare, we also examined whether birthweight had long term effects on disability.
Subjects, methods, and results
The 1958 cohort includes about 17 000 people born on 3–9 March 1958 in England, Scotland, and Wales followed up to 1991.2 Birthweight was recorded …