Children & Women
High birth weight could mean high brain tumor risk
By David Liu, Ph.D.
Sep 1, 2008 - 11:38:07 AM

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MONDAY September 1, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study reported by German researchers showed babies who eigned more than 8.8 pounds were more likely to have astrocytomas and medulloblastomas two types of most commonly seen brain tumors among children.

The researchers reviewed eight studies of more than 1.7 million children age 19 or younger of whom over 4000 developed astrocytomas, medulloblastomas and ependymomas and they found there was an association between birth weight and brain tumors.

They found a 2.2 pound increase in birth weight was associated with a 19 percent increase in the risk of astrocytomas.   Heavy birth weight was also linked to increased risk of medulloblastomas, but the risk did not seem to increase with birth weight.

In contrast, no association was found between birth weight and risk of ependymomas. Nor was any association found between low birth weight and astrocytomas/medulloblastomas.

The study was reported in Aug. 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.