Early Life Nutrition and Lifelong Health - Derbyshire Local Medical ...

BMA Board of ScienceConclusions• Studies of human populations show clear links between early life environment and laterhealth and disease.• While our knowledge of the specific components of maternal nutrition which produce sucheffects is limited in humans, experimental animal studies provide strong evidence thatchanging nutrition in the periconceptional period or in pregnancy can produce effects onthe offspring which mimic human chronic disease.• In developed societies, we know that many women consume poor quality diets, which resultson the one hand in nutritional deficiencies and on the other in overweight and obesity.• In developing societies, while maternal undernutrition remains a major problem, maternaloverweight is also of concern.• Development of future interventions will require the identification of biomarkers of poordevelopmental nutrition in infants and children.• There is a need for better understanding of the implications of current variations in diet andnutrition for fetal development and long-term health.• Positive steps need to be taken to ensure that young people understand the importance ofhealth and wellbeing before pregnancy – giving attention to their diet, optimal bodyweight, to stopping smoking and to limiting alcohol consumption.24Early life nutrition and lifelong health