Are we what our mothers ate?: Maternal nutrition and disease

Type II diabetes is one of the major healthcare issues of the 21st Century. Over 170 million people currently have diabetes and, by 2030, it is estimated that this figure will have doubled. Much research has been aimed at identifying people at risk of developing diabetes and what measures can be taken to prevent them developing this complex disease. Our changing environment has been identified as a contributor to this increase in the prevalence of Type II diabetes, and our diet coupled with our ever more sedentary lifestyles have been identified as major causative factors. The influence diet has on our health is well known, but what if the decisions are already made? What if we are already destined to be fat or thin, or more prone to disease? There is growing evidence that what our mothers ate during pregnancy may have a major impact on our health during adulthood.