Obstetrics

Health official cites behavioral change as key to raising low birth weights

Published in Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA, September 29th, 2002

The problem of low birth weight is growing in America's largest cities and suburbs, according to a new study, but a health official from the city with the smallest ratio of low birth weights stressed that lifestyle changes - particularly smoking cessation - have made a difference there.

Lillian Shirley, director of the Multnomah County Health Department in Portland, Oregon, pointed to smoking as the culprit for 30% of babies born below the optimal birth weight and added that a community approach to fighting smoking and secondhand smoke has helped Portland. She said that community involvement is a core element to health goals her city has met.

"The...

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Source: Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA (2002-09-29)

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