Guyana is among the countries in South America where a high prevalence of low birthweight persists, according to a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report.
In its recently published 2023 report on the Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean, the FAO stated that as a region, Latin America and the Caribbean has a lower prevalence of low birthweight than the world estimate.
Low birthweight is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as weight at birth lower than 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) and can be caused by intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity or both.
