Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the birth weight and
current body weight and the con
f
ronting factors towards birth weight status and body
weight status among national primary school students in Johor Bahru. Parental self
reported questionnaire and direct anthropometric measurement were conducted in getting
the data for analysis. A total of 210 students from an urban primary school and two rural
primary schools were participated in this study. Birth weight were found linearly and
directly correlate with the current BMI, with Ir I= 0.302 (p < 0.001). Prevalence of low
birth weight and high birth weight among the schoolchildren was 8% and 1% respectively,
with no significance between genders and residence areas. Average birth weight among
the infants born on year 1999 to 2004 is 3.0 kg. Short maternal stature (p = 0.042), low
maternal education level (p = 0.001), low household income (p = 0.047), young maternal
age at birth (p = 0.011), short interpregnancy interval (p = 0.044), and preterm birth (p <
0.001) were found significantly associated with low birth weight, while paternal height (p
= 0.018) significantly associated with high birth weight.
