Godfrey K M, Barker D J
MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
Public Health Nutr. 2001 Apr;4(2B):611-24. doi: 10.1079/phn2001145.
Low birthweight is now known to be associated with increased rates of coronary heart disease and the related disorders stroke, hypertension and non-insulin dependent diabetes. These associations have been extensively replicated in studies in different countries and are not the result of confounding variables. They extend across the normal range of birthweight and depend on lower birthweights in relation to the duration of gestation rather than the effects of premature birth. The associations are thought to be consequences of 'programming', whereby a stimulus or insult at a critical, sensitive period of early life has permanent effects on structure, physiology and metabolism. Programming of the fetus may result from adaptations invoked when the materno-placental nutrient supply fails to match the fetal nutrient demand. Although the influences that impair fetal development and programme adult cardiovascular disease remain to be defined, there are strong pointers to the importance of maternal body composition and dietary balance during pregnancy.
现在已知低出生体重与冠心病及相关疾病（中风、高血压和非胰岛素依赖型糖尿病）的发病率增加有关。这些关联在不同国家的研究中得到了广泛的重复验证，并非混杂变量的结果。它们涵盖了出生体重的正常范围，并且取决于相对于妊娠期的较低出生体重，而非早产的影响。这些关联被认为是“编程”的结果，即在生命早期的关键敏感时期受到的刺激或损伤会对结构、生理和新陈代谢产生永久性影响。胎儿编程可能是由于母胎胎盘营养供应未能满足胎儿营养需求时所引发的适应性变化导致的。尽管损害胎儿发育并引发成人心血管疾病的影响因素仍有待确定，但有强有力的证据表明孕期母体身体组成和饮食平衡非常重要。
