Babies born in the summer or fall grow taller and heavier because their mothers were exposed to more sunlight during pregnancy, researchers say
- People born in the summer or fall are taller and heavier than their peers
- Researchers say that vitamin D in the late fetal period can affect your growth
- Researchers from Hunan Province studied 462 children of both sexes
If you are one of those who have always wondered why they were briefly replaced in the height department, scientists may have the answer.
People born in the summer or fall tend to be taller and heavier than their peers with a birthday in the spring or winter, a study found.
After analyzing the relationship between the month of birth and height, the researchers c China claim that a key factor is vitamin D, which promotes bone growth and is created by our bodies after exposure to sunlight.
A mother who enters the third trimester – from week 27 – in the spring or summer will naturally get more exposure to sunlight (file image)
Scientists said it was important “in the late fetal period and after the baby is born.”
Therefore, a mother who enters the third trimester – from the 27th week – in the spring or summer, will naturally be more exposed to sunlight, and her baby, born three months later, will also see the effect of longer and sunnier days and “there is a significantly lower risk of short stature”.
Researchers from Hunan Province studied 462 children of both sexes between the ages of two and 14.
They compared the dates of birth of those classified as “short stature” and found that almost 40% had low levels of vitamin D.
The highest and heaviest are born in June, July or August, followed by those in the autumn months of September, October and November.
Experts said that the amount of vitamin D passed into breast milk was “relatively low” and “did not fully meet the needs for growth and development of the child.”
They added: “We recommend that pregnant mothers and babies take adequate intensity and enough hours of sunlight after birth.”
The role of seasonal births can be explained by the height of the June baby Prince William, who is the tallest living king with a height of 6 feet and 3 inches.
He shares a month of birth with actor Liam Neeson, who is an inch taller, while July-born Danish actress Bridget Nielsen is 6 feet tall.
People born in the summer or fall tend to be taller and heavier than their peers with a birthday in the spring or winter, a study found
The council of Chinese scientists was repeated by Professor Ken Ong of the Department of Pediatrics at Cambridge University, who conducted a similar study in the United Kingdom on 450,000 people in 2015.
He also found that children born in the summer are stronger and taller due to the role of vitamin D. “There are very stable patterns between height and birth in the summer,” said Professor Ong.
However, he told The Mail on Sunday that parents should take other factors into account, adding: “Summer births are really good for height, but then your child will be the youngest in the class and this is not good for education. results throughout childhood and even later in life.
“Birth in the fall would have been the best of both.”
However, Professor Rosalind John of Cardiff University’s School of Biological Sciences has urged women to focus on a healthy diet – which can also be a source of vitamin D – instead of planning a pregnancy during the seasons.
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