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Epidemiology, genes and the environment: lessons learned from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study
Author(s) -
Eriksson J. G.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2007.01798.x
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , disease , cohort study , cohort , pediatrics , heart disease , life course approach , demography , gerontology , developmental psychology , sociology , psychology
. Nonoptimal growth during fetal life and infancy is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes later in life. This early pattern of growth is associated with an increased disease risk especially when followed by a relative gain in body size later in childhood. Genetic factors are closely involved in growth and disease pathogenesis and gene‐early life environmental interactions will be described affecting adult health outcomes. This overview will primarily focus upon findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study consisting of 15846 subjects born 1924–1944 on whom growth data and information on adult health are available.