Nowadays, when child poverty becomes a social problem, it is feared that poor socio-economic conditions of parents may have an adverse effect on children's health shortly after birth.For example, "poor weight gain" in which infants do not grow according to their age and gender expectations is a serious condition that is said to adversely affect their subsequent growth and cognitive ability.
Studies in the United Kingdom and Denmark, where social security for child-rearing households is generous, do not show a link between parents' socio-economic status and their children's poor weight gain, but what about Japan?A research group at Kitasato University targeted 13 babies born in 34,594 and 22 babies born in 21,189 from all over Japan, and found the relationship between the socioeconomic status of parents and poor weight gain up to 18 months after birth. Examined.
As a result, it was found that the rate of infants suffering from poor weight gain is 4 times higher in the lower quarter households than in the top quarter households.In addition, this tendency was seen in both infants born in 1 and 4, and it was shown to be consistent regardless of the times.
In this study, the mechanism of poor weight gain has not been identified, but it is thought that it is mediated by the inability to prepare a nutritious diet for economic reasons and the lack of nutrition due to neglect.Therefore, financial support for parents is needed to prevent poor weight gain in babies.For example, Japan's family-related social security spending as a percentage of GDP increased from 13 (0.6%) to 22 (1.3%), but in 22 the United Kingdom (4.0%) and Sweden (3.6%). ), The current situation is still small.
The research group cites increasing social security for children, food support for low-income families, and prevention of neglect through continuous support from pregnancy to child-rearing.
Paper information:[Frontiers in Pediatrics] Parental Socioeconomic Status and Weight Faltering in Infants in Japan
