The Origins Of Health And Disease

This landmark publication provides the first definitive account of how and why subtle influences on the fetus and during early life can have such profound consequences for adult health and diseases. Although the epidemiological evidence for this link has long proved compelling, it is only much more recently that the scientific and physiological basis has begun to be studied in depth and fully understood. The compilation, written by many of the world's leading experts in this exciting field, summarizes these scientific and clinical advances.

This book addresses the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), a new medical concept that demonstrates that various adult diseases start in the fetal period. It discusses our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms of DOHaD, including gene body epigenetics and non-coding RNA, and comprehensively examines diseases such type 2 diabetes, a well known as standard DOHaD-associated disease, as well as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hypertension and neurodevelopmental disorders. It argues that most adult diseases start at a very early stage, such as in the fetal and neonatal periods, and that earlier prevention and intervention would result in better outcomes for adult diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiac disorders, which are increasing in both developed and developing countries. The book appeals to obstetricians and pediatricians, as well as physicians who treat adult patients, wanting to understand the origins of diseases.

"The Nation has lost sight of its public health goals and has allowed the system of public health to fall into 'disarray'," from The Future of Public Health. This startling book contains proposals for ensuring that public health service programs are efficient and effective enough to deal not only with the topics of today, but also with those of tomorrow. In addition, the authors make recommendations for core functions in public health assessment, policy development, and service assurances, and identify the level of government--federal, state, and local--at which these functions would best be handled.

Early Life Origins of Health and Disease is a new book which presents and discusses the many factors that may have impact on normal development. In a concise and readable manner, the authors consider both the proven and suggestive evidence that the high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and, in some populations, kidney disease, may not be all due to genetics or adult environment alone. There is good evidence that stress and more subtle dietary deficiencies, as well as placental malfunction, may increase the risk that the offspring will develop these problems in later life. Finally, new and emerging evidence for other areas of human health and disease such a motor control and mental health is critically reviewed for the first time. The book is a ‘must’ for all scientists interested in researching these areas, as there is a critical evaluation of the methodology used and suggestions for the ‘optimal’ way in which to investigate these phenomena.

Cardiovascular, respiratory, and related conditions cause more than 40 percent of all deaths globally, and their substantial burden is rising, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Their burden extends well beyond health effects to include significant economic and societal consequences. Most of these conditions are related, share risk factors, and have common control measures at the clinical, population, and policy levels. Lives can be extended and improved when these diseases are prevented, detected, and managed. This volume summarizes current knowledge and presents evidence-based interventions that are effective, cost-effective, and scalable in LMICs.

This book reviews public health activities such as awareness campaigns, health education, and strategies for health policy based on recent epidemiological studies that provide insights into epigenetic processes caused by environmental factors and developmental plasticity. It provides the latest concepts and findings on the public health aspects of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) research regarding early prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Attention is especially paid to key issues, including strategies for the effective prevention of NCDs in developmental stages of life and younger generations rather than in adults and the elderly. Public Health Aspects in Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) is structured in two parts; the first focuses on general remarks reviewing specific recommendations, practical methods and protocols, and future goals regarding public health aspects, while the second presents brief profiles of individual cohorts and consortia studies. This collection will benefit both new and established researchers, as well as students in the fields of epidemiology, clinical medicine, nutrition, education, and public health who are seeking comprehensive information on DOHaD and preemptive medicine.

This book is a history of the diseases of humankind and their causes from earliest times to the present day. It is a tour de force drawing upon the author's extensive work on the history of infection, as well upon evidence drawn from archaeology, history and demography.

Winner of the 2021 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award In A History of Population Health Johan P. Mackenbach offers a broad-sweeping study of the spectacular changes in people’s health in Europe since the early 18th century. Most of the 40 specific diseases covered in this book show a fascinating pattern of ‘rise-and-fall’, with large differences in timing between countries. Using a unique collection of historical data and bringing together insights from demography, economics, sociology, political science, medicine, epidemiology and general history, it shows that these changes and variations did not occur spontaneously, but were mostly man-made. Throughout European history, changes in health and longevity were therefore closely related to economic, social, and political conditions, with public health and medical care both making important contributions to population health improvement. Readers who would like to have a closer look at the quantitative data used in the trend graphs included in the book can find these it here.