scholarly journals Health in Transition: Translating developmental origins of health and disease science to improve future health in Africa

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Health And Disease

At STIAS, the ‘Health in Transition’ theme includes a programme to address the epidemic rise in the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, coronary heart disease and stroke in Africa. The aim is to advance awareness, research capacity and knowledge translation of science related to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) as a means of preventing NCDs in future generations. Application of DOHaD science is a promising avenue for prevention, as this field is identifying how health and nutrition from conception through the first 1 000 days of life can dramatically impact a developing individual’s future life course, and specifically predicate whether or not they are programmed in infancy to develop NCDs in later life. Prevention of NCDs is an essential strategy as, if unchecked, the burden of caring for a growing and ageing population with these diseases threatens to consume entire health budgets, as well as negatively impact the quality of life of millions. Africa in particular needs specific, focussed endeavors to realize the maximal preventive potential of DOHaD science, and a means of generating governmental and public awareness about the links between health in infancy and disease in adult life. This volume summarizes the expertise and experience of a leading group of international scientists led by Abdallah Daar brought together at STIAS as part of the ‘Health in Transition’ programme.

Searching the web: a survey on the quality of advice on postnatal sequelae of intrauterine growth restriction and the implication of developmental origins of health and disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 604-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Perzel ◽  
H. Huebner ◽  
W. Rascher ◽  
C. Menendez-Castro ◽  
A. Hartner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intrauterine Growth Restriction ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Growth Restriction ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Intrauterine Growth ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
The Individual

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and fetal growth restriction (FGR) are pregnancy complications associated with morbidity in later life. Despite a growing body of evidence from current research on developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), little information is currently provided to parents on long-term metabolic, cardiovascular and neurologic consequences. As parents strongly rely on internet-based health-related information, we examined the quality of information on IUGR/FGR sequelae and DOHaD in webpages used by laypersons. Simulating non-clinicians experience, we entered the terms ‘IUGR consequences’ and ‘FGR consequences’ into Google and Yahoo search engines. The quality of the top search-hits was analyzed with regard to the certification through the Health On the Net Foundation (HON), currentness of cited references, while reliability of information and DOHaD-related consequences were assessed via the DISCERN Plus score (DPS). Overall the citation status was not up-to-date and only a few websites were HON-certified. The results of our analysis showed a dichotomy between the growing body of evidence regarding IUGR/FGR-related sequelae and lack of current guidelines, leaving parents without clear directions. Furthermore, detailed information on the concept of DOHaD is not provided. These findings emphasize the responsibility of the individual physician for providing advice on IUGR/FGR-related sequelae, monitoring and follow-up.

scholarly journals Association of early- and adult-life socioeconomic circumstances with muscle strength in older age

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 398-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Cheval ◽  
Matthieu P Boisgontier ◽  
Dan Orsholits ◽  
Stefan Sieber ◽  
Idris Guessous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Sensitive Period ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Background socioeconomic circumstances (SEC) during a person’s lifespan influence a wide range of health outcomes. However, solid evidence of the association of early- and adult-life SEC with health trajectories in ageing is still lacking. This study assessed whether early-life SEC are associated with muscle strength in later life—a biomarker of health—and whether this relationship is caused by adult-life SEC and health behaviours. Methods we used data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe, a 12-year population-based cohort study with repeated measurement in six waves (2004–15) and retrospective collection of life-course data. Participants’ grip strength was assessed by using a handheld dynamometer. Confounder-adjusted logistic mixed-effect models were used to examine the associations of early- and adult-life SEC with the risk of low muscle strength (LMS) in older age. Results a total of 24,179 participants (96,375 observations) aged 50–96 living in 14 European countries were included in the analyses. Risk of LMS was increased with disadvantaged relative to advantaged early-life SEC. The association between risk of LMS and disadvantaged early-life SEC gradually decreased when adjusting for adult-life SEC for both sexes and with unhealthy behaviours for women. After adjusting for these factors, all associations between risk of LMS and early-life SEC remained significant for women. Conclusion early-life SEC are associated with muscle strength after adjusting for adult-life SEC and behavioural lifestyle factors, especially in women, which suggests that early life may represent a sensitive period for future health.

Seeing the fetus from a DOHaD perspective: discussion paper from the advanced imaging techniques of DOHaD applications workshop held at the 2019 DOHaD World Congress

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Janna L. Morrison ◽  
Oyekoya T. Ayonrinde ◽  
Alison S. Care ◽  
Geoffrey D. Clarke ◽  
Jack R.T. Darby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Advanced Imaging ◽  
World Congress ◽  
Discussion Paper ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Hyperpolarized Mri ◽  
Novel Applications

Abstract Advanced imaging techniques are enhancing research capacity focussed on the developmental origins of adult health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis, and consequently increasing awareness of future health risks across various subareas of DOHaD research themes. Understanding how these advanced imaging techniques in animal models and human population studies can be both additively and synergistically used alongside traditional techniques in DOHaD-focussed laboratories is therefore of great interest. Global experts in advanced imaging techniques congregated at the advanced imaging workshop at the 2019 DOHaD World Congress in Melbourne, Australia. This review summarizes the presentations of new imaging modalities and novel applications to DOHaD research and discussions had by DOHaD researchers that are currently utilizing advanced imaging techniques including MRI, hyperpolarized MRI, ultrasound, and synchrotron-based techniques to aid their DOHaD research focus.

scholarly journals David James Purslove Barker. 29 June 1938—27 August 2013

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 ◽  
pp. 29-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Barker ◽  
Caroline H. Fall ◽  
Clive Osmond ◽  
Cyrus Cooper ◽  
Tom P. Fleming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Western World ◽  
Barker Hypothesis ◽  
Complex Processes ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Health And Disease

Professor David James Purslove Barker was a physician and one of the most influential medical scientists of our time. His fetal programming hypothesis (known as the Barker Hypothesis) transformed thinking about what causes chronic diseases that are the scourge of modern society: cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The Barker Hypothesis proposed that the environment of the fetus and infant determined by maternal nutrition and exposure to infection subsequently predisposes the pathologies of later life. He challenged the idea that chronic diseases result from a combination of bad genes and unhealthy adult lifestyle. The environment of the fetus and infant, he suggested, permanently set or ‘programmed’ the body's metabolism and growth, and thereby pathologies of old age. His initially controversial, but now widely accepted, ideas have produced an explosion of research worldwide into the complex processes of nutrition and growth during intrauterine and early post-natal life and how these cause adult diseases. His discoveries created a new field of research, developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), influencing global scientific thinking. David believed that ‘the poorer health of people in lower socio-economic groups or living in impoverished places was linked to past and present neglect of the welfare of mothers and babies’. Tackling the epidemics of diabetes and heart disease in the Western world and in developing countries would require, he said, a shift in focus to prioritize the health and nutrition of adolescent girls, pregnant women and infants. This focus has subsequently been enshrined in global health policies and priorities.

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease and Sustainable Development Goals: mapping the way forward

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Kajee ◽  
E. Sobngwi ◽  
A. Macnab ◽  
A. S. Daar
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Future Health ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Synergistic Approach ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Considerable Benefit

In this paper, meant to stimulate debate, we argue that there is considerable benefit in approaching together the implementation of two seemingly separate recent developments. First, on the global development agenda, we have the United Nations General Assembly’s 2015 finalized list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Several of the SDGs are related to health. Second, the field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) has garnered enough compelling evidence demonstrating that early exposures in life affect not only future health, but that the effects of that exposure can be transmitted across generations – necessitating that we begin to focus on prevention. We argue that implementing the SDGs and DOHaD together will be beneficial in several ways; and will require attending to multiple, complex and multidisciplinary approaches as we reach the point of translating science to policy to impact. Here, we begin by providing the context for our work and making the case for a mutually reinforcing, synergistic approach to implementing SDGs and DOHaD, particularly in Africa. To do this, we initiate discussion via an early mapping of some of the overlapping considerations between SDGs and DOHaD.

Translating developmental origins of health and disease in practice: health care providers’ perspectives

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica L. Molinaro ◽  
Marilyn Evans ◽  
Timothy R.H. Regnault ◽  
Barbra de Vrijer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Knowledge Translation ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Health And Disease

Abstract Currently, there is limited knowledge on how health care providers perceive and understand the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), which may impact how they inform patients and their families throughout the perinatal period. This qualitative descriptive study explored if and how health care providers counsel on in utero programming and future health outcomes with parents, both preconception and during pregnancy. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 health care providers from varying health disciplines including obstetrics and gynaecology, midwifery, paediatrics, endocrinology and internal medicine. Audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: Knowledge about DOHaD, Counselling on DOHaD in Practice Settings and Impact of DOHaD on Health. Health care providers not only expressed excitement over the potential health benefits of DOHaD counselling but also indicated barriers to knowledge translation, including a lack of knowledge among providers and a disconnect between basic scientists and practitioners. All health care providers expressed concerns on how and when to introduce the concept of DOHaD when counselling patients and called for the development of practice guidelines. Counselling on DOHaD needs to be framed in a way that is empowering, minimising the potential of coercion and guilt. More interaction and collaboration are needed between health care providers and researchers to identify strategies to support knowledge translation generated from DOHaD research into practice settings.

scholarly journals Assessment of cardiometabolic risk in children in population studies: underpinning developmental origins of health and disease mother–offspring cohort studies

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.-C. Huang ◽  
Susan L. Prescott ◽  
Keith M. Godfrey ◽  
Elizabeth A. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Cardiometabolic Disorders ◽  
Health And Disease

AbstractPregnancy and birth cohorts have been utilised extensively to investigate the developmental origins of health and disease, particularly in relation to understanding the aetiology of obesity and related cardiometabolic disorders. Birth and pregnancy cohorts have been utilised extensively to investigate this area of research. The aim of the present review was twofold: first to outline the necessity of measuring cardiometabolic risk in children; and second to outline how it can be assessed. The major outcomes thought to have an important developmental component are CVD, insulin resistance and related metabolic outcomes. Conditions such as the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and CHD all tend to have peak prevalence in middle-aged and older individuals but assessments of cardiometabolic risk in childhood and adolescence are important to define early causal factors and characterise preventive measures. Typically, researchers investigating prospective cohort studies have relied on the thesis that cardiovascular risk factors, such as dyslipidaemia, hypertension and obesity, track from childhood into adult life. The present review summarises some of the evidence that these factors, when measured in childhood, may be of value in assessing the risk of adult cardiometabolic disease, and as such proceeds to describe some of the methods for assessing cardiometabolic risk in children.

scholarly journals AGEING POPULATION PERCEPTIONS ON EXPECTED LEARNING CONTENTS AND AGEING-CENTERED MODES IN THE SIX GEO-POLITICAL ZONES OF NIGERIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aminu Kazeem Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Adult Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Open Education ◽  
Perceived Learning ◽  
Education Curriculum ◽  
Security Threat ◽  
Test Statistic ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Learning Modes

The purpose of the study is to determine perceptions of ageing population on preferred learning contents and modes towards possible consideration into existing adult life-long open education curriculum in Nigeria. The method involves descriptive, cross-sectional survey design with 378 adult retirees. Data collection instrument was, Ageing Perceived Learning Contents and Modes Scale�. Percentages and t � test statistic was used to analyse the data. The results indicated 61.90 years as mean age, perceived learning contents were, activities for group with specific knowledge and abilities (59=15.61%); preventing security threat (71=18.78%); modalities for starting a petty trading and skill acquisitions (51=13.49%); diverse family and community roles (41=10.85%); ageing social and health care (65=17.19%); changes in legislations and policies (43=11.38%) and favoured learning modes indicated, life-long open education and learning for adult later life (39=10.32%); use of technological innovations (59=15.61%); consideration of gender, culture and economic status (121=32.01%). The result also discovered a significant gender difference on preferred learning contents (t = 4.69 < 2.101) and learning modes (t = 2.91< 1.957) among participants. The study concluded that dynamic of ageing preferred learning contents and modes calls for consideration on exiting adult life-long open education curriculum in Nigeria and other similar areas.Keywords: ageing population; learning contents; ageing-centered learning modes.

scholarly journals Maternal vitamin D deficiency and developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)

2019 ◽  
Vol 241 (2) ◽  
pp. R65-R80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Folami Y Ideraabdullah ◽  
Anthony M Belenchia ◽  
Cheryl S Rosenfeld ◽  
Seth W Kullman ◽  
Megan Knuth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D Deficiency ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fetal Life ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Cardiometabolic Disorders ◽  
Health And Disease

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is metabolized in the body to generate an active metabolite (1,25(OH)2D) with hormone-like activity and highly diverse roles in cellular function. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a prevalent but easily preventable nutritional disturbance. Emerging evidence demonstrates the importance of sufficient vitamin D concentrations during fetal life with deficiencies leading to long-term effects into adulthood. Here, we provide a detailed review and perspective of evidence for the role of maternal VDD in offspring long-term health, particularly as it relates to developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). We focus on the roles in neurobehavioral and cardiometabolic disorders in humans and highlight recent findings from zebrafish and rodent models that probe potential mechanisms linking early life VDD to later life health outcomes. Moreover, we explore evidence implicating epigenetic mechanisms as a mediator of this link. Gaps in our current understanding of how maternal VDD might result in deleterious offspring outcomes later in life are also addressed.

scholarly journals Population DNA methylation studies in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Felix ◽  
C. A. M. Cecil
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Health And Disease

AbstractEpigenetic changes represent a potential mechanism underlying associations of early-life exposures and later life health outcomes. Population-based cohort studies starting in early life are an attractive framework to study the role of such changes. DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mechanism in population research. We discuss the application of DNA methylation in early-life population studies, some recent findings, key challenges and recommendations for future research. Studies into DNA methylation within the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease framework generally either explore associations between prenatal exposures and offspring DNA methylation or associations between offspring DNA methylation in early life and later health outcomes. Only a few studies to date have integrated prospective exposure, epigenetic and phenotypic data in order to explicitly test the role of DNA methylation as a potential biological mediator of environmental effects on health outcomes. Population epigenetics is an emerging field which has challenges in terms of methodology and interpretation of the data. Key challenges include tissue specificity, cell type adjustment, issues of power and comparability of findings, genetic influences, and exploring causality and functional consequences. Ongoing studies are working on addressing these issues. Large collaborative efforts of prospective cohorts are emerging, with clear benefits in terms of optimizing power and use of resources, and in advancing methodology. In the future, multidisciplinary approaches, within and beyond longitudinal birth and preconception cohorts will advance this complex, but highly promising, the field of research.

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