Annals of Biological Research
Abstract
Author(s): Barnabas Danborno, Zwandor Bulus Vondun, James Abrak Timbuak and Angela Member Danborno
School difficulties have been found to be associated with low birth weight, an observation that has social and economic implications. This study focuses on the relationship of birth weight and school performance in children in Zaria, Nigeria. Subjects [n = 525] for the study were pupils in Reception class, Class One and Two of the Ahmadu Bello University, Staff School, Zaria with mean age 7.02 Ã?â??Ã?± 0.94 [SD]. School subjects considered for analyses included Mathematics, English Language, Creative Arts and General Paper. Means of respective subjects were obtained and statistically compared. The results showed significant relationship between birth weight and performance in all subjects. When birth weight was categorized in to four groups (<2.5kg, 2.51-3.0kg, 3.1-3.5kg and >3.5kg), boys showed significant difference according to all birth weight category the differences failed to reach statistical significance in the girls. Correlation between age and academic performance did not show any significant relationship, but strong relationship was established between birth weight and school performance with statistical significance of P <0.05 and < 0.001 both in boys and girls. The findings are consistent with a growing body of research evidence, which suggest that low birth weight children suffer from academic deficits compared to normal birth weight children.
