Barker D J
MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
Ciba Found Symp. 1991;156:3-10; discussion 10-6. doi: 10.1002/9780470514047.ch2.
Two recent findings suggest that maternal nutrition, and fetal and infant growth, have an important effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease in adult life. (1) Among 5225 men who were born in Hertfordshire, England during 1911-1930 and who were breast fed, those who had the lowest weights at birth and at one year had the highest death rates from cardiovascular disease. The differences were large and were reflected in differences in life expectancy. (2) In England and Wales there is a close geographical association between high death rates from cardiovascular disease, and poor maternal physique and health, and poor fetal growth. These findings raise the question of what processes link the intrauterine and early postnatal environment with risk of cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is one link. A recent study of 449 men and women now aged 50 showed that measurements at birth predicted blood pressure more strongly than current measures such as body mass. Levels of clotting factors in the blood and serum cholesterol (two other risk factors) may also be links.
最近的两项研究结果表明，母亲的营养状况以及胎儿和婴儿的生长发育对成年后患心血管疾病的风险有重要影响。（1）在1911年至1930年期间出生于英国赫特福德郡且接受母乳喂养的5225名男性中，出生时和一岁时体重最低的那些人死于心血管疾病的死亡率最高。差异很大，并反映在预期寿命的差异上。（2）在英格兰和威尔士，心血管疾病高死亡率与母亲体质和健康状况差以及胎儿生长发育不良之间存在密切的地域关联。这些发现提出了一个问题，即哪些过程将子宫内和出生后早期环境与心血管疾病风险联系起来。血压是心血管疾病的一个已知风险因素，是其中一个联系。最近一项对449名年龄在50岁的男性和女性的研究表明，出生时的测量值比当前的测量值（如体重指数）更能有力地预测血压。血液中的凝血因子水平和血清胆固醇（另外两个风险因素）也可能是联系因素。
