Introduction
overweight, LBW
PRETERM DELIVERY, FETAL GROWTH RESTRICTION
Low birth weight (LBW; i.e., born <2,500 g) is a marker of suboptimal fetal growth and development caused by preterm delivery (i.e., gestational duration <37 weeks) and/or fetal growth restriction, which results in a small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborn (i.e., birth weight below the tenth percentile of a reference group of newborns with the same gestational age). LBW is associated with a significantly higher neonatal mortality risk that varies between a 2-fold risk increment for SGA neonates, a 7-fold risk for preterm newborns, and up to a 15-fold risk increase when children are born both preterm and SGA [Prenatal nutritional supplementation is one key strategy to prevent LBW. Systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies showed that prenatal multimicronutrient (MMN) fortified balanced energy-protein (BEP) supplementation reduces the risk of SGA (relative risk (RR): 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69, 0.90) [One concern with blanket prenatal supplementation programs using energy-dense supplements, such as LNS, is that it could lead to more infant and/or maternal overweight, as observed with consumption of ultra-processed foods in high-income countries [