According to a recent estimate, the number of underweight infants drops only very slowly. Accordingly, in 2015, around 20.5 million babies worldwide weigh less than 2500 grams at birth. That's almost 15 percent of babies born alive, according to scientists from the World Health Organization WHO , the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Unicef ​​in one study.

In 2000, the rate was still at 17.4 percent. But to achieve the WHO goal, the decline would have to be much stronger.

Scientists consider infant birth weight to be an important indicator of the overall health of a population. The 195 WHO member states therefore want to reduce the number of underweight newborns from 2012 to 2025 by 30 percent.

To achieve this goal, the number of birth-critical births would have to decline 2.74 percent each year, the authors write in the journal The Lancet Global Health. So far, the annual reduction is on average but only 1.23 percent.

Although the absolute number of livebirths with #lowbirthweight has declined globally, in some regions (sub-Saharan Africa), LBW has probably increased due to demographic trends - eg, fertility & migration @WHO @UNICEF @LSHTM https: / /t.co/Y5JPVmvuZ6 pic.twitter.com/YnRHYI6UHI

- The Lancet Global Health (@LancetGH) May 16, 2019

The data were evaluated on 281 million births in 148 countries. The study included low birth weight children, including premature babies

The situation is therefore particularly difficult in South Asia. According to the estimate, 26.4% of newborn babies were born too easily in 2015. In sub-Saharan Africa, it was 14 percent. However, the authors of the report point out that not so many reliable data are available from these countries: "The smallest newborns are often missing in the data systems, as well as children who die shortly after birth."

Even in affluent countries in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, there has been little progress in reducing the birth-weight-bearing birth rate since 2000, according to the study. In poorer countries, inappropriate growth in the womb is the most common cause of low birth weight, the study said. In more developed regions, this is often associated with a premature birth before the 37th week of pregnancy.

Affected children are therefore at greater risk for developmental disability and later life-related diseases, including chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.