The slope index of inequality (SII) in the percentage of low birth weight births. The SII gives a single score describing the extent of inequality in each local authority, and is broadly comparable between areas. See below for further details on the SII.
Low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organisation as a birth weight less than 2500 grams.(1) Low birth weight infants account for approximately 8% of all live births in England and Wales.(2) In the UK and other developed countries, it is a major cause of infant mortality.(3) In addition, low birth weight is also associated with health problems in adulthood such as neuro-cognitive and pulmonary morbidity and other long-term health difficulties including deficits in growth, cognitive development, diabetes and heart disease.(4,5)
Low birth weight varies widely according to socio-economic status. For example, Macfarlane and colleagues, looking at births in England and Wales between 1991 and 1995, found that the percentage of low birth weight births was 5.4% in social class I (professional) (based on the occupation of the father), compared with 8.2% in social class V (unskilled).(2) Reducing the proportion of low birth weight infants is, therefore, of public health importance. The stratified indicator by local deprivation quintile has been produced in order to quantify inequalities in low birth weight births by deprivation.
This indicator has been discontinued and so there will be no further updates.
Legacy unique identifier: P01405