Trends and social patterning of birthweight in Sheffield, 1985-94
N J Spencera, S Loganb, L Gilla
a School of
Postgraduate Medical Education Department of
Social Policy and Social Work University of
Warwick, b Systematic
Reviews Training Unit Department of
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Institute of
Child Health London
Correspondence to: Professor NJ Spencer School of Postgraduate Medical Education University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL.
Accepted 26 April 1999
AIM
To describe the
trends in birthweight and their association with socioeconomic status
in a 10 year birth cohort in Sheffield.
METHODSData for all
live singleton births were extracted from the Sheffield Child
Development Study (SCDS) database for 1985-94. Enumeration districts
(EDs), derived from postcodes, were ranked into deciles by Townsend
Deprivation Index (TDI), based on the 1991 census. Birthweight by 500 g
group and mean birthweights for the city and by ED decile were
calculated by year. 
2 analyses for linear trend were calculated. The
proportion of variance in birthweight explained by ED decile and raw
TDI score was estimated by year. Absolute risk difference of
birthweight <3500 g for the most compared with the least deprived
deciles and proportion of births <3500 g statistically
"attributable" to social inequality were calculated.
RESULTSThe
mean birthweight for all births increased by 34 g between 1985 and
1994. This difference is largely accounted for by a positive trend
in births 
3500 g and a negative trend in births of 3000-3499 g.
Similar trends were noted across all ED deciles. Around 10% of the
variance in birthweight was explained by area deprivation level.
Absolute risk difference for births <3500 g was 12.5% for the 10 years (range 8.3-18.4). The proportion of births <3500 g
statistically "attributable" to social inequality for the 10 year
period was 9.6% (range 4.3-15.5).
CONCLUSIONSDespite an overall
increase in mean birthweight, large social differences persisted during
the study period. An average of 350 births a year were not in the group
(3500 g) bestowing most health advantage throughout the life course,
as a result of social inequality.
Keywords: birthweight; socioeconomic status
© 1999 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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