10.1. Post some of your thoughts after
learning about DOHaD
Just need 1 paragraph and then a 1 paragraph response to the example.
Examples of other peoples
Developmental Origins of Health and Disease is a concept that highlights how
environmental factors during critical periods of prenatal and early postnatal
development can have long-lasting effects on an individual’s health and disease risk.
These critical periods are specific windows when the body’s organs and systems are
forming and are particularly sensitive to external influences. The idea is that exposure to
certain conditions or factors during these times can “program” an individual’s
physiology, metabolism, and susceptibility to diseases through mechanisms such as
epigenetic changes, hormone level alterations, and modifications in metabolic pathways
and immune function.
One prominent example of DOHaD is the relationship between maternal nutrition and
cardiovascular disease. If a pregnant woman experiences poor nutrition, whether due to
famine, food insecurity, or a severely imbalanced diet, the developing fetus receives
signals indicating a nutrient-poor environment. During the second and third trimesters,
which are critical periods for the development of the cardiovascular system, the fetus
may undergo adaptations like reduced growth, altered organ development, and changes
in metabolic pathways to survive the anticipated scarcity.
These early-life adaptations can predispose the individual to cardiovascular diseases
later in life. For instance, the person might develop hypertension, coronary artery
disease, or diabetes as an adult because their body, programmed to expect a
nutrient-scarce environment, may overcompensate when exposed to a nutrient-rich
environment postnatally, leading to metabolic imbalances. This example underscores
the DOHaD hypothesis, demonstrating how early developmental conditions can
significantly shape long-term health outcomes.
