Research
Hormonal
Low birth weight (indicative of intra-uterine growth retardation) is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in adulthood.
Pregnant women should be monitored for fetal growth restriction, as low birth weight is a marker for increased adult cardiovascular and metabolic risk.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
There is considerable evidence, mostly from developed countries, that IUGR is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and diabetes
Why this rating
Based on multiple cohort studies and famine studies, though some specific links (like BP) are debated.
Source
A life course approach to diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases
Ian Darnton‐Hill et al. · Public Health Nutrition · 2004
DOI 10.1079/phn2003584
narrative_reviewCited 419×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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