The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation nations hold the unenviable distinction of having some of the highest percentages of low birth- weight babies (less than 2.5 kg) in the world. Bangladesh has a score of 50 per cent, Nepal 26 per cent, Pakistan 25 per cent and Sri Lanka 25 per cent. In India, the figure is 33 per cent -that is, every 3rd newborn here suffers from low birth-weight.