Low birth weights 'increase' risk of IBS

Babies with low birth weight are at greater risk of IBS

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Thursday, 28, Sep 2006 11:58

Babies with a low weight at birth are at a "significantly" greater risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), new research shows.

IBS can cause a number of conditions including cramps, diarrhoea and bloating. It is thought to affect between ten and 20 per cent of people in western countries at any one time.

The study, published in the journal Gut, confirms earlier research which found that both environmental and genetic factors contribute to the condition.

But the scientists behind the latest study from the University of Oslo claim that their research shows for the first time that restricted foetal growth affects susceptibility to IBS in later life.

A total of 3,334 twin pairs, 1,250 of whom were identical, completed a questionnaire about their health and whether they had ever had IBS. This was then combined with information about their weight at birth, gained from the National Twin Registry.

The twins were then put into four groups, ranging from those weighing less than 1,500g to those of more than 2,500g. A healthy birth weight is thought to be above 2,500g.

Identical twins were found to be more likely to have had IBS, suggesting that genetic factors do play a part. The genetic contribution also appeared to be important for IBS among females.

The risk of IBS was 2.5 times greater among those with birth weights under 1,500g than those above 2,500g. The baby with the lower weight in the twin pair also had a great chance of developing the condition.

Birth weight also affected the age at which IBS started. Those weighing less than 1,500g were on average more likely to develop IBS seven years earlier than those over 1,500g.

Presenting their findings, the study's authors wrote: "These results may suggest a new classification of patients into subgroups based on age at onset of symptoms, sex, familial resemblance, and birth weight, to improve our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of IBS."