Abstract
The concept of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease presumes that early human development programmes health and the risk of adult diseases through the processes of developmental plasticity which can create different fenotypes stemming from a single genotype in response to enviromental signals. Early nutrition is a significant programming factor.
Individual long-term health can be affected by inadequate intrauterine and postnatal nutrition. In order to reduce susceptibility to noncommunicable diseases preventive measures are most effective in the time of the highest plasticity - during the human reproductive cycle which includes both pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Exclusive breastfeeding for up to 6 months of age followed by the introduction of complementary foods with adequate protein intake and energy together with continued breastfeeding is a basic preventive measure. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of being overweight or obese in infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
It also reduces the probability that a future mother will become overweight or obese before conception and during pregnancy and thereby lowers the risk of fetal overnutrition with all the consequnces for the child's health.