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Early Growth and Later Health: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

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Hormones, Intrauterine Health and Programming

Part of the book series: Research and Perspectives in Endocrine Interactions ((RPEI,volume 12))

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Abstract

It is well established that factors active during prenatal life and early childhood largely influence later health outcomes. Slow rates of growth during prenatal and postnatal life increase the later risk for coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Lifestyle is closely associated with these non-communicable disease outcomes. The programming of food choices and exercise habits seems to take place early in life and could be one factor explaining the association between early growth and later health outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki, 20, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Johan G. Eriksson

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  1. Johan G. Eriksson
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Correspondence to Johan G. Eriksson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology Unit, University of Edinburgh Queen's Medical Research Inst, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    Jonathan R Seckl

  2. Fondation IPSEN, Boulogne-Billancourt Cedex, France

    Yves Christen

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Eriksson, J.G. (2014). Early Growth and Later Health: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. In: Seckl, J., Christen, Y. (eds) Hormones, Intrauterine Health and Programming. Research and Perspectives in Endocrine Interactions, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02591-9_7

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