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Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on July 21, 2008
Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdn057
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© The Author 2008, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved

Why does birthweight vary among ethnic groups in the UK? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study


Y. Kelly, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health1
L. Panico, Research Fellow1
M. Bartley, Professor of Medical Sociology1
M. Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology1
J. Nazroo, Professor of Sociology2
A. Sacker, Professor of Quantitative Social Science3

1 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK
2 Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
3 Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK


Address correspondence to Y. J. Kelly, E-mail: y.kelly{at}ucl.ac.uk


  Abstract

Background Birthweight varies according to ethnic group, but it is not clear why such differences exist. We examine the contribution of socioeconomic, maternal and behavioural factors to differences in mean birthweight and the prevalence of low birthweight across ethnic groups.

Methods Data from the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 16 157) on White, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean and Black African infants were analysed. Cohort members were born in 2000–02, and data on birthweight, maternal, infant, behavioural and socioeconomic factors were collected by home interviews.

Results Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi infants were 280–350 g lighter, and 2.5 times more likely to be low birthweight compared with White infants. Black Caribbean infants were 150 g and Black African infants 70 g lighter compared with White infants, and Black Caribbean and Black African infants were 60% more likely to be low birthweight compared with White infants. For Black Caribbean, Black African, Bangladeshi and Pakistani infants, socioeconomic factors were important in explaining birthweight differences and, for Indian and Bangladeshi infants, maternal and infant factors were important in explaining birthweight differences.

Conclusion Future policies aimed at reducing inequalities in birthweight must pay attention to the different socioeconomic and culturally-related profiles of ethnic minority groups in the UK.

Keywords: birthweight, epidemiology, ethnicity, inequality, socioeconomic


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