2013-04-18
Early Growth and Cardiovascular Development in Childhood. The Generation R Study
Publication
Publication
Vroege Groei en de Ontwikkeling van Hart en Bloedvaten in de Kindertijd: Het Generation R Onderzoek
The developmental plasticity hypothesis proposes that environmental exposures, acting at different stages of fetal and early postnatal development, lead to permanent adaptations in the structure, physiology and function of various organ systems.This early programming contributes to short-term survival, but increases the susceptibility of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.1 This hypothesis is supported by observational studies demonstrating that low birth weight, as a measure of reduced growth in utero, is associated with an increased risk of the development of cardiovascular disease in later life. Low birth weight has also been related to cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and cholesterol levels, although systematic reviews suggest small effects. Birth weight is merely a marker of fetal growth and environment, and does not account for the influence of postnatal growth. Retrospective follow up studies have shown that individuals with a low birth weight and high rates of childhood weight gain have increased risks of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that fetal and childhood growth are both related to cardiovascular health and disease in later life. The exact growth patterns and underlying biological mechanisms linking fetal and childhood growth with disease in later life are not fully understood.
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| The Generation R Study is conducted by the Erasmus MC in close collaboration with the School of Law and Faculty of Social Sciences of Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Municipal Health Service Rotterdam area, Rotterdam, the Rotterdam Homecare Foundation, Rotterdam, and the Stichting Trombosedienst & Artsenlaboratorium Rijnmond (STAR-MDC), Rotterdam. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of general practitioners, hospitals, midwives and pharmacies in Rotterdam. The Generation R Study has been made possible by financial support from the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Ministry of Youth and Families. The research described in this thesis was supported by a grant of the Dutch Heart Foundation (DHF-2008B114). Financial support by the Dutch Heart Foundation for the publication of this thesis is gratefully acknowledged. In addition, publication of this thesis was supported by the Department of Epidemiology of the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Generation R Study Group, Rotterdam, the Erasmus University Rotterdam, J. E. Jurriaanse Stichting, Rotterdam, ChipSoft B.V., BMA B.V. (Mosos), Pfizer B.V. | |
| A. Hofman (Albert) , W.A. Helbing (Willem) | |
| Erasmus University Rotterdam | |
| hdl.handle.net/1765/39712 | |
| Organisation | Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam |
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de Jonge, L. (2013, April 18). Early Growth and Cardiovascular Development in Childhood. The Generation R Study. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/39712 |
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| Additional Files | |
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| 130418_Jonge, Layla Leintje de_bewerkt.pdf Final Version , 2mb | |
| 3728_Jonge, Layla Leintje de.jpg Cover Image , 270kb | |
