Low birth weight and other risk factors for later diseases in children and adults (prenatal and postnatal programming)
Abstract
The authors summarize current views on Barker's hypothesis of prenatal programming, particularly the low birth weight, but they reflect also the postnatal programming in a review article. Barker's theory of prenatal programming in individuals with low birth weight has brought a number of important insights, but nowadays it is also necessary to focus on postnatal effects.
This is particularly the case for the early childhood. The text reports the various prenatal and postnatal factors that may increase the risk of different diseases in the further development of children and adolescents.
Including the impact on the health of the elderly population, when the care of adults is taken by general practitioners (GP's) or specialists. These GP's should be informed on the risk of early programming of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, nephropathy, diabetes and obesity.
Later, in adults the influence of the environment and healthy lifestyle play an important role in further course of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, nephropathies, diabetes and obesity.