Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
Volume 32, Issue 7, Pages 1432-1446Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1888894
Keywords
Prenatal undernutrition; Dutch famine; developmental programming
Funding
- Diabetes Fonds (Netherlands)
- Netherlands Heart Foundation
- European Science Foundation (EUROSTRESS)
- European Commission
- Wellbeing (UK)
- Medical Research Council (UK)
- Dutch Research Council (NWO Aspasia)
- Academic Medical Centre (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
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This study found that individuals born around the time of the Dutch famine in 1944-45 suffered lasting consequences of prenatal undernutrition, especially during early gestation. Undernutrition during gestation affects the development of organs and tissues, alters behavior, and increases the risk of chronic diseases.
This paper describes the findings of a historical cohort study of men and women born around the time of the Dutch famine 1944-45. It provided the first direct evidence in humans of the lasting consequences of prenatal undernutrition. The effects of undernutrition depended on its timing during gestation, and the organs and tissues undergoing periods of rapid development at that time. Early gestation appeared to be particularly critical, with the effects of undernutrition being most apparent, even without reductions in size at birth. Undernutrition during gestation affected the structure and function of organs and tissues, altered behaviour and increased risks of chronic degenerative diseases. This demonstrates the fundamental importance of maternal nutrition during gestation as the building blocks for future health.
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