1. Early life experiences can influence later-life health, disease
Obesity, hypertension,
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes
Toxic exposures
oxidative
stress
Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s
Low birth weight
The first principle is that early life experiences can influence later-life health and disease. In other words, the stages of life are a continuum, and life experiences and exposures have impacts over time.
For example, maternal exposure to air pollution, including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, ozone, and tobacco smoke, are associated with low birth weight, congenital defects and fetal and neonatal deaths (1). Maternal air pollution exposure is also linked to child health effects including decreased lung growth, increased rates of respiratory tract infections, asthma, behavioral problems, and developmental (neurocognitive) impairments (1,2,3,4). Low birth weigh in turn is linked to obesity in teen years and adulthood. (7,8) Many studies have also found low birth weight to be a risk factor for adult cardiovascular disease, hypertension and Type II diabetes. (5,6,7,8,9) And as noted previously, these diseases in midlife (especially diabetes) are associated with increased risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia in later life.
(1) Wang L. Air pollutant effects on fetal and early postnatal development (review) Pinkerton KE. Birth Defects Res C Embryo Today 2007 Sep; 81(3):
(2) Brauer M et al. A cohort study of traffic-related air pollution impacts on birth outcomes. Environ Health Perspect May; 116(5): Erratum in: Environ Health Perspect Dec; 116(12):A519.
(3) Perera FP et al. Effect of prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on neurodevelopment in the first 3 years of life among inner-city children. Environ Health Perspect Aug;114(8):
(4) Choi H et al. Prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and risk of intrauterine growth restriction. Environ Health Perspect May; 116(5):
(5) Frankel T, Osmond C, Sweetman P, et al. Birth weight, body mass index in middle age, and incident coronary heart disease. Lancet 1996; 348:
(6) Stein CF, Fall CHD, Kumaran K, et al. Fetal growth and coronary heart disease in South India. Lancet 1996; 348:
(7) Rich-Edwards JW, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE. et al. Birth weight and risk of cardiovascular disease in a cohort of women followed up BMJ 1976; 315:
(8) Leon DA, Lithell HO, Vâgerö D, et al. Reduced fetal growth rate and increased risk of death from ischaemic heart disease: cohort study of Swedish men and women born BMJ, 1998; 317:241-5.
(9) Simmons R. Perinatal programming of obesity. Seminars in Perinatology, 2008, 32, (5),
Aging begins at conception 1 1