Obesity and the developmental origins of health and disease.
The concept that environmental stimuli imparted on a developing organism have the potential to affect both its short- and long-term developmental profiles is intuitively appealing and, more importantly, supported by a growing body of experimental and observational evidence. A number of groups have posited model hypotheses in tandem with experimental data, linking extrinsic factors to the development of a host of human diseases. Here, we review the evolution of 'the developmental origins of health and disease' as a concept and discuss recent advances in the association of specific stimuli to obesity, an epidemic cause of human morbidity and mortality.
School of Women's and Infants' Health, The University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia. mkemp@meddent.uwa.edu.au
Matthew W
MW
Kemp
Suhas G
SG
Kallapur
Alan H
AH
Jobe
John P
JP
Newnham
D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D048788:Growth and Development; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors