Early growth and adult health outcomes--lessons learned from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Slow growth during fetal life and infancy is often followed by accelerated weight gain in childhood. These patterns of growth seem to precede the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes in adult life. Patterns of growth associated with CHD and type 2 diabetes in adult life are described based upon findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. We are beginning to understand that adult degenerative diseases are associated with different patterns of early growth. Yet it is not clear what optimal growth is and how it can be achieved. Most data suggest that the development of many non-communicable diseases involve a number of interactions including genetic ones. Therefore these diseases can best be focused upon from a life cycle perspective.