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Fetal Origins. Fetal origins of adult disease: strength of effects and biological basis

Fetal Origins. Fetal origins of adult disease: strength of effects and biological basis
Fetal Origins. Fetal origins of adult disease: strength of effects and biological basis
Background Low birthweight has been consistently shown to be associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) and its biological risk factors. The effects of low birthweight are increased by slow infant growth and rapid weight gain in childhood. To quantify the importance of developmental processes in the genesis of CHD it is necessary to establish the impact of fetal, infant and childhood growth on major pathological events in later life—death, hospital treatment and the need for medication.
Methods Longitudinal study of 13 517 men and women who were born in Helsinki University Hospital during 1924–1944, whose body sizes at birth and during childhood were recorded, and in whom deaths, hospital admissions, and prescription of medication for chronic disease are documented.
Results The combination of small size at birth and during infancy, followed by accelerated weight gain from age 3 to 11 years, predicts large differences in the cumulative incidence of CHD, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Conclusions Coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes may originate through two widespread biological phenomena—developmental plasticity and compensatory growth.
fetal growth, childhood growth, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease
0300-5771
1235-1239
Barker, D.J.P.
64c6005a-eea7-4c26-8f07-50d875998512
Eriksson, J.G.
eda300d2-b247-479f-95b9-f12d2c72e92b
Forsen, T.
009ce53c-8bbf-4c5c-a21f-0bbdd1f999c4
Osmond, C.
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Barker, D.J.P.
64c6005a-eea7-4c26-8f07-50d875998512
Eriksson, J.G.
eda300d2-b247-479f-95b9-f12d2c72e92b
Forsen, T.
009ce53c-8bbf-4c5c-a21f-0bbdd1f999c4
Osmond, C.
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81

Barker, D.J.P., Eriksson, J.G., Forsen, T. and Osmond, C. (2002) Fetal Origins. Fetal origins of adult disease: strength of effects and biological basis. International Journal of Epidemiology, 31 (6), 1235-1239.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background Low birthweight has been consistently shown to be associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) and its biological risk factors. The effects of low birthweight are increased by slow infant growth and rapid weight gain in childhood. To quantify the importance of developmental processes in the genesis of CHD it is necessary to establish the impact of fetal, infant and childhood growth on major pathological events in later life—death, hospital treatment and the need for medication.
Methods Longitudinal study of 13 517 men and women who were born in Helsinki University Hospital during 1924–1944, whose body sizes at birth and during childhood were recorded, and in whom deaths, hospital admissions, and prescription of medication for chronic disease are documented.
Results The combination of small size at birth and during infancy, followed by accelerated weight gain from age 3 to 11 years, predicts large differences in the cumulative incidence of CHD, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Conclusions Coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes may originate through two widespread biological phenomena—developmental plasticity and compensatory growth.

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More information

Published date: 2002
Keywords: fetal growth, childhood growth, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 25226
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/25226
ISSN: 0300-5771
PURE UUID: 7db5dae4-104b-44b8-a16b-68fc30b13fe3
ORCID for C. Osmond: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9054-4655

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 07 Apr 2006
Last modified: 23 Jul 2022 01:39

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Contributors

Author: D.J.P. Barker
Author: J.G. Eriksson
Author: T. Forsen
Author: C. Osmond ORCID iD

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