Demography Unit (SUDA) and Department of Sociology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Centre for Economic Demography (CED), Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
BMJ Glob Health. 2022 Apr;7(4). doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007341.
Differences in birthweight are often seen between migrants and natives. However, whether migrant-native birthweight inequalities widen, narrow or remain persistent across generations when comparing the descendants of immigrants and natives remains understudied. We examined inequalities in birthweight of mothers (G2) and daughters (G3) of foreign-born grandmothers (G1) compared with those of Swedish-born grandmothers.
We used population registers with multigenerational linkages to identify 314 415 daughters born in Sweden during the period 1989-2012 (G3), linked to 246 642 mothers (G2) born in Sweden during 1973-1996, and to their grandmothers (G1) who were Swedish or foreign-born. We classified migrants into non-western, Eastern European, the rest of Nordic and Western. We used multivariable methods to examine mean birthweight and low birthweight (<2500 g; LBW).
Birthweight between individuals with Swedish background (G1) and non-western groups increased from -80 g to -147 g between G2 (mothers) and G3 (daughters), respectively. Furthermore, the odds of LBW increased among the G3 non-western immigrants compared with those with Swedish grandmothers (OR: 1.38, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.69). Birthweight increased in both descendants of Swedes and non-western immigrants, but less so in the latter (83 g vs 16 g).
We observed an increase in birthweight inequalities across generations between descendants of non-western immigrants and descendants of Swedes. This finding is puzzling considering Sweden has been lauded for its humanitarian approach to migration, for being one of the most egalitarian countries in the world and providing universal access to healthcare and education.
移民和本地人之间的出生体重差异通常很明显。然而，在比较移民后代和本地人后代时，移民和本地人之间的侨民-本地人出生体重不平等是否会随着代际而扩大、缩小或保持不变，这方面的研究还很有限。我们研究了外国出生的祖母（G1）的孙女（G3）和外孙女（G2）的出生体重不平等情况，以及与瑞典出生的祖母的孙女（G3）和外孙女（G2）的出生体重不平等情况进行了比较。
我们使用具有多代链接的人口登记册，确定了 1989-2012 年期间在瑞典出生的 314415 名女儿（G3），这些女儿与 1973-1996 年期间在瑞典出生的 246642 名母亲（G2）相关联，并与她们的祖母（G1）相关联，这些祖母是瑞典人或外国人。我们将移民分为非西方、东欧、北欧其他地区和西方。我们使用多变量方法检查出生体重和低出生体重（<2500 克；LBW）的平均值。
具有瑞典背景（G1）的个体与非西方群体之间的出生体重差距从 G2（母亲）到 G3（女儿）分别从-80 克增加到-147 克。此外，与有瑞典祖母的 G3 非西方移民相比，LBW 的几率增加（OR：1.38，95%CI 1.12-1.69）。瑞典人和非西方移民的后代的出生体重都有所增加，但后者增加的幅度较小（83 克对 16 克）。
我们观察到非西方移民后代与瑞典人后代之间的代际出生体重不平等现象有所增加。考虑到瑞典因其对移民的人道主义态度、作为世界上最平等的国家之一以及提供普遍获得医疗保健和教育的机会而受到赞誉，这一发现令人费解。
