Differences in Rates of Low Birth Weight among Prefectures in Japan: An Ecological Study Using Government Statistics Data

The differences in the rates and trends of the overall low birth weight and term low birth weight in recent years are unknown for the Japanese prefectures. In this ecological study, we revealed the rates for each prefecture and investigated the factors affecting the regional differences in these outcomes. Aggregated vital statistics data from 2007 to 2019 were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare in Japan. The association between the outcomes and the variables, including the infants’ birth characteristics, medical characteristics, and socioeconomic characteristics of the prefectures, were analyzed. An analysis of repeated-measures data was conducted using the data from 2013 and 2018 for each prefecture. The trend for the rates of overall low birth weight and term low birth weight over the years differed among the prefectures. Moreover, the proportions of multiple births and lean (body mass index <18.5 kg/m²) and obese (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m²) women had a statistically significant positive association with both the overall low birth weight rate and the term low birth weight rate among the prefectures. It was suggested that to resolve the difference in these outcomes among the prefectures, being obese or underweight needs to be addressed in mothers.