Impact of Environment on Lifelong Health

Question 1

Early childhood screenings

Answer 1

Newborn check
Newborn hearing screen
Blood spot check

Question 2

Screening test pre-conception

Answer 2

Diabetic eye screening for mother

Question 3

Screening test for newborn

Answer 3

Newborn hearing screen

Question 4

Barker hypothesis

Answer 4

On average, adults who had a coronary event had been small at birth and thin at two years of age
Thereafter put on weight rapidly
Risk of coronary events was more strongly related to rate of change in childhood BMI, rather than BMI attained at any particular age of childhood

Undernutrition in uterine - overnutrition as child
Increased risk of metabolic syndrome which in turn leads to increased risk of cardiovascular events

Question 5

Mechanism of developmental origin of health and disease

Answer 5

Programming in utero
Leads to epigenetic changes which influence development and physiology
Malnutrion in utero leads to overcompensation later

Question 6

Good screening test

Answer 6

Identified early
Treatable
Prevent/reduce morbidity/mortality
Easy to administer
Cost effective
Reproducible results

Question 7

Screening test in first trimester

Answer 7

Blood for sickle cell and thalassaemia

Question 8

Screening test in second or third trimester

Answer 8

Blood test for Down syndrome