Heart risk for underweight babies

UNDERWEIGHT babies are more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes, according to a study.

The infants have weak immune systems and produce abnormally high numbers of white blood cells. These can defend the body against infection but can trigger inflammatory diseases in adulthood.

The study, based on 5,619 children who were tracked into adulthood, was carried out by Imperial College London, the University of Manchester and the University of Oulu in Finland.