London: Infants born to child brides in India have a higher risk of malnutrition than those born to older mothers, a new research has indicated.

The research found that 67 percent of babies born to child brides in India were malnourished, meaning they were either underweight or suffering from a wasted or stunted growth.

However, birth weight and childhood mortality are not significantly linked with the age of the mother, the research published on BMJ.com (British Medical Journal's website) said.

Despite significant economic growth in the past decade, India still has the highest number of under-five deaths in the world.

Almost half (44.5 percent) of 20-24 year olds in India are married before they are 18 and a quarter (22 percent) of the same age group have given birth before they are 18.

The researchers led by Associate Professor Anita Raj, from Boston University School of Public Health, investigated the relationship between early marriage and infant and children mortality-related infection in India.

They investigated into 19,000 children born to 13,500 women who had been married between the ages of 15 and 24.

The results show that the majority of babies (73 percent) were born to child brides.

The authors argue that "in view of previous evidence that child brides often are more controlled by husbands and in-laws, it may be that women married as minors are unable to advocate for adequate nutrition for their children."

Prof Raj said the findings "emphasise the value of delayed child bearing among adolescent wives."

They also reveal the need for targeted intervention efforts to support children born to mothers married as minors, who may be more vulnerable to nutritional deprivation than others in the family.