Underweight babies may suffer poor cardiovascular health during adulthood: Study

A breakthrough study pointed out on one of the reasons for short breath among adults can be low weight at the time of birth. The study further advocates that newborns who are abnormally underweight, have higher chances of developing poor cardiorespiratory fitness later in life than their normal counterparts. The findings underscore the importance of prevention strategies to reduce low birth weights even among those carried to at term delivery. Having a good cardiorespiratory fitness - that is the ability of the body to supply oxygen to the muscles during sustained physical activity - is important for staying healthy. Alarmingly, cardiorespiratory fitness is declining globally, both for youths and adults. Given its implications for public health, there has been a growing interest in understanding the underlying causes of poor cardiorespiratory fitness. Researchers have identified both physical inactivity and genetic factors as important determinants.