In a sense, the intrauterine environment is taken to be a predictor of life outside the womb, which may well be very different from the fetal prediction. It is put forward that these interactions of gene and environment are ultimately responsible for many of the health problems of adulthood including obesity, hypertension, diabetes and the vascular consequences of atherosclerosis, stroke and myocardial infarction.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.