Low Birth Weight Associated with Risk for Diabetes

A study published in the September 2002 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism shows that babies born weighing less than 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) have a more difficult time processing glucose than infants born at normal weight. This could put them at risk for a host of chronic disorders in adulthood, including diabetes.

The study?s lead author reports low-birth-weight babies who become obese adults have one of the highest risks of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. ?Dietary intake for low-birth-weight children should not be in a form that leads to excessive weight gain in the form of fat. In other words, do not feed your children McDonald?s and Coke because you think they are too thin. Follow a healthy diet that does not contain lots of fat and refined carbohydrate,? the study concludes.