This finding underscores the long-term role of fetal health in later stroke risk - Photo: AI
For many years, risk factors for stroke were typically determined based on lifestyle and health conditions in adulthood, such as obesity, smoking, or high blood pressure. However, new research by scientists from the University of Gothenburg has broadened the perspective: stroke risk may be "programmed" from the moment a person is born.
The study analyzed data from nearly 800,000 people born in Sweden between 1973 and 1982, followed up to 2022. The results showed that those with below-average birth weight (around 3 kg) had a significantly higher risk of stroke in adulthood.
Specifically, this group has an approximately 21% increased risk of all types of stroke, with a significantly increased risk of ischemic stroke, and an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage, the more dangerous form of stroke, of up to 27%.
Notably, this association was not affected by adult BMI or gestational age at birth, suggesting that birth weight is an independent factor.
Scientists believe that birth weight reflects the developmental environment in the womb. When a fetus does not receive enough nutrition or encounters unfavorable conditions, the body may "adapt" by changing the structure and function of organs, including the cardiovascular system and brain blood vessels.
These changes may not be immediately apparent, but they silently increase the risk of future health problems, especially those related to blood circulation such as stroke.
In other words, the body "remembers" living conditions from within the womb, and this can affect health for decades afterward.
Birth weight can be incorporated into cardiovascular risk assessment models - Photo: Ai
Although stroke rates have decreased in many developed countries, this trend is not as pronounced among young people. In fact, in some areas of Southeast Asia and developed countries, stroke rates among young and middle-aged adults are showing signs of increasing.
This has led scientists to pay particular attention to "early" risk factors such as birth weight, factors that had previously received little attention in risk assessment.
We cannot change the past, but we can prevent the future. For adults today, birth weight is an unchangeable factor. However, early risk assessment can help in proactive prevention.
Those who have previously given birth to low-weight babies should pay more attention to other risk factors such as blood pressure, diet, exercise, and regular health checkups. Managing these factors effectively can significantly reduce the risk of stroke.
More importantly, this finding opens up opportunities for early intervention, starting from the pregnancy stage. Good nutritional care for expectant mothers, close monitoring of the pregnancy, and ensuring optimal developmental conditions for the fetus can contribute to reducing the risk of disease for future generations.
The research, presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2026, not only provides further evidence of the link between early life and long-term health, but also suggests that birth weight could be incorporated into cardiovascular risk assessment models.
This represents a step forward in the approach to preventive medicine, looking not only at the present but also considering a person's entire "biological history."