Heavier babies at birth tend to do better in school

Washington: A new research has revealed that heavier babies at birth score high in their elementary and middle school as compared to the ones having lower weight.

According to new Northwestern University research, birth weight makes a difference to a child's future academic performance.

David Figlio, director of Northwestern's Institute for Policy Research (IPR) said that it was not necessary that healthier babies have a fully formed brain, but if fetus stays in mother's womb for a longer period and gain weight then it would have a better cognitive development.

The relationship was apparent even among twins; heavier-born twins have higher average test scores in third through eighth grade than their lighter-born twin.

Factors like families having better earnings, improved maternal nutrition and reduced maternal stress effects baby's birth weight.

Jonathan Guryan, an associate professor of human development and social policy at the School of Education and Social Policy, said that birth weight can't have a stamp on a child's fate. Family's education in which the child is born have more impact on his intellect.

The study will be published in the journal American Economic Review.