Developmental undernutrition, offspring obesity and type 2 diabetes

• Authors: Aryeh Stein, Emory University; Okezi E Obrutu, Emory University; Rishikesh V Behere, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre; Chittaranjan S Yajnik, King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre
• Journal Title: DIABETOLOGIA
• Volume: Volume 62, Number 10
• Publisher: SPRINGER | 2019-10-01, Pages 1773-1778
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-019-4930-1
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Life course development; Obesity; Review; Type 2 diabetes; Undernutrition; PRENATAL EXPOSURE; COHORT PROFILE; BIRTH-WEIGHT; NEONATAL ANTHROPOMETRY; ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES; GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE; CHINESE FAMINE; EARLY-LIFE; IN-UTERO; PREGNANCY

Abstract

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm posits that a mismatch between circumstances at or around conception and in later life leads to metabolic dysregulation and the development of obesity and diabetes. In this review we highlight three strands of evidence: prospective studies of patterns of growth from birth to adulthood, historical studies of exposure to famine at defined points during gestation and early life, and nutrition intervention studies. We conclude that, while much is still unknown, it is becoming clearer that the combination of early-life undernutrition and later development of obesity is associated with increased risk of diabetes. There is a need to support public health programmes aimed at intergenerational (primordial) prevention of diabetes and other non-communicable disease.