Child's IQ linked to early weight gain

A new research in Australia has suggested how much weight a baby gains during its first month could determine its intelligence quotient (IQ).

After studying 13,800 children born at full-term, researchers at the University of Adelaide, said children who gain more weight, and whose heads grow quickly, during the first month of life tend to have a higher IQ when they start school, Daily Mail reported.

It was found that those who put on 40 per cent of their birth weight in the first four weeks had an IQ 1.5 points higher in comparison to those who only put on 15 per cent of their birth weight.

Those expressing the biggest growth in head circumference also had the highest IQs by the time they turn six.

"Head circumference is an indicator of brain volume, so a greater increase in head circumference in a new born baby suggests more rapid brain growth," lead author Lisa Smithers said.