Birth weight

Birth weight is the body weight of a neonate at their birth. The average birth weight in babies of European and African descent is 3.5 kilograms (7.7 lb), with the normative range between 2.5 and 4.0 kilograms (5.5 and 8.8 lb).

15% of babies born in 2012 had a low birth weight and 14.7% in 2020. It is projected that 14.2% of newborns will have low birth weight in 2030, falling short of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals target of a reduction of 30%.

On average, babies of Asian descent weigh about 3.25 kilograms (7.2 lb). The prevalence of low birth weight has changed over time. Trends show a slight decrease from 7.9% (1970) to 6.8% (1980), then a slight increase to 8.3% (2006), to the current levels of 8.2% (2016). The prevalence of low birth weights has trended slightly upward from 2012 to the present.

Low birth weight is associated with neonatal infection, infant mortality, as well as illness into adulthood. Numerous studies have attempted, with varying degrees of success, to show links between birth weight and later-life conditions, including diabetes, obesity, tobacco smoking, and intelligence.