BABIES who are very small or bigger than average at birth could be more prone to dementia later in life.
New research from the University of Manchester found tiny and very large babies were at risk of having a “poorer mental ability in middle age”.
The study of more than 430,000 Brit adults found babies born below 6.2lbs or over 8.8lbs are more likely to suffer poor hearing, vision and mental ability, as well as cognitive decline and sensory problems when they hit middle age.
Researchers also suggested good nutrition in the womb could stave off serious illness later in life, and people near the top end of the weight table at birth had the best outcomes in adulthood.
Dr Piers Dawes, from the University of Manchester’s School of Psychological Science, who led the study, said: “Sensory problems and illness such as dementia are an increasing problem but these findings suggest issues begin to develop right from early life.
“While interventions in adulthood may only have a small effect, concentrating on making small improvements to birth size and child development could have a much greater impact on numbers of people with hearing, vision and cognitive impairment.”
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