Barker and his associates suggested a possible link between fetal nutrition and the development of disease risk in adult life. Suggesting that individuals are subject to risks for more than just the fetal period, this book covers several interrelated aspects of cellular programming related to early nutrition and this potential global health problem

Mulchand S. Patel is Distinguished Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo. His lab investigates the structure- function relationships and regulation of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex; catalytic mechanisms of pyruvate dehydrogenase and interactions with the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase; interactions between kinases and the lipoyl domains; and the importance of glucose metabolism in fetal development and diet-induced metabolic programming during early life.

Jens Høiriis Nielsen is Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cellular and Metabolic Resedarch Station at the University of Copenhagen.

Historical Developments and Current Concepts. Historical Origin of David Barker's Hypothesis on "Fetal Origins of Adult Disease" and Early Observations. The Maternal Resources Hypothesis and Childhood Obesity. Maternal Health and Fetal Programming. Calorie Deficiency and Fetal Programming. Protein Deficiency and Pancreatic Development. Placental Insufficiency (IUGR), Pancreatic Development, and Function. Regulation of GLUT4 in Muscle in IUGR Offspring. Maternal Obesity and Diabetes: Fetal Pancreatic Development. Hypothalamic programming (Non-Primate Model). Alterations in Circadian Rhythm. Role of High Fructose Diet on Fetal Programming. Transgenerational Effects on Programming. Early Postnatal Programming. Overnutrition and Hypothalamic Programming. Modified Milk Formula and Pancreatic Programming Environmental Chemicals. Human Studies on Programming. Maternal Obesity: Fetal Growth and Metabolic Health of the Offspring. Role of Vitamin Insufficiency in Fetal Programming: Pune-India Study. Role of the Immune System. Twin Study. Human Lactation Mother-Child Microbiomes. Epigenetic Mechanisms of Programming. Role of Non-Coding RNA. DNA Methylation. Paternal Health: Role of the Sperm Epigenome. Interventions. Maternal Dietary Modifications (PUFA, vit. D). Dietary Supplements (Nutraceuticals) on Lipid Profile. Antioxidant Supplement and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Dietary and Exercise Interventions.