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Epidemiology of Early Nutrition and Adult Health: Metabolic Adaptations and Body Composition

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Early Life Origins of Ageing and Longevity

Part of the book series: Healthy Ageing and Longevity ((HAL,volume 9))

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Abstract

The intrauterine period of growth is extremely important for lifelong health as growth and development of fetal tissues and organ systems occur at a very rapid pace. Any perturbation to this process, either through nutritional insufficiency or exposure to endocrine disruptors or toxins, not only interrupts or delays the growth process, but in some cases results in metabolic abnormalities that challenge adult health. In terms of early childhood nutrition and growth, a number of studies have reported that stunting is a risk factor for obesity and central adiposity. However, other studies have reported divergent findings. Regardless, it is well accepted that nutrition during early childhood through adolescence has a profound effect on healthy growth and deficits in energy or specific micronutrients have a negative impact of adult height and growth. More important, the growth pattern, such as slow or rapid growth, is now considered to be a primary factor in terms of body composition and health. This chapter will describe the relationship between poor growth in utero and early childhood as a risk factor for adult chronic diseases based on epidemiologic and clinical studies. As well, the influence of poor growth during childhood on metabolism and body composition will be explored as potential areas in which mechanisms may explain epidemiological studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Program in International Nutrition, Center for Childhood Nutrition Education and Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health; Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Daniel J. Hoffman & Adriana Carrieri

  2. Department of Epidemiology, University of São Paulo School of Public Health, São Paulo, Brazil

    Alessandro Bigoni

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  1. Daniel J. Hoffman
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  2. Alessandro Bigoni
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  3. Adriana Carrieri
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Correspondence to Daniel J. Hoffman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Gerontology, Kiev, Ukraine

    Alexander Vaiserman

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Hoffman, D.J., Bigoni, A., Carrieri, A. (2019). Epidemiology of Early Nutrition and Adult Health: Metabolic Adaptations and Body Composition. In: Vaiserman, A. (eds) Early Life Origins of Ageing and Longevity. Healthy Ageing and Longevity, vol 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24958-8_1

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