Researchers: Low Birth Weight Does Not Increase Chance of Asthma - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

(KCEN) -- Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children, yet researchers have not been able to pinpoint its cause.

Now experts say you can take birth weight off the list.

Low birth weight has long been thought of as a risk factor for asthma.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic compared over 3,000 children with a normal birth weight to nearly 200 born at a low weight.

They found the asthma rates did not differ greatly between the two groups. They say low birth weight does not appear to increase the risk for asthma in the first six years of life.