1. The developmental origins of health and disease: an overview; 2. The 'developmental origins' hypothesis: epidemiology; 3. The conceptual basis for the developmental origins of health and disease; 4. The periconceptional and embryonic period; 5. Epigenetic mechanisms; 6. A mitochondrial component of developmental programming; 7. Role of exposure to environmental chemicals in developmental origins of health and disease; 8. Maternal nutrition and fetal growth and development; 9. Placental mechanisms and developmental origins of health and disease; 10. Control of fetal metabolism: relevance to developmental origins of health and disease; 11. Lipid metabolism: relevance to developmental origins of health and disease; 12. Prenatal hypoxia: relevance to developmental origins of health and disease; 13. The fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: relevance to developmental origins of health and disease;14. Perinatal influences on the endocrine and metabolic axes during childhood; 15. Developmental origins of health and disease: relevance of patterns of growth; 16. The developmental environment and the endocrine pancreas; 17. The develop; 28. The developmental environment and the origins of neurological disorders mental environment and insulin resistance; 18. The developmental environment and the development of obesity; 19. The developmental environment and its role in the metabolic syndrome; 20. Programming the cardiovascular system; 21. The role of vascular dysfunction in developmental; 22. The developmental environment and atherogenesis origins of health and disease: evidence from studies in man and animals; 23. The developmental environment, renal function and disease; 24. The developmental environment: effect on fluid and electrolyte homeostasis; 25. The developmental environment: effects on lung structure and function; 26. Developmental origins of asthma and related allergic disorders; 27. The developmental environment: Influences on subsequent cognitive function and behaviour; 28. The developmental environment and the origins of neurological disorders; 29. The developmental environment: clinical perspectives on effects on the musculoskeletal system; 30. The developmental environment: experimental perspectives on skeletal development; 31. The developmental environment and the early origins of cancer; 32. The developmental environment: implications for aging and lifespan; 33. Developmental origins of health and disease: implications for primary intervention for cardiovascular and metabolic disease; 34. Developmental origins of health and disease: public health perspectives; 35. Developmental origins of health and disease: implications for developing countries; 36. Developmental origins of health and disease: ethical and social considerations.

'Researchers will find Developmental Origins of Health and Disease to be a well-referenced resource that documents the state of the art in the field and serves as a source of new ideas. Students of human and developmental biology and health practitioners should also keep the volume in close reach … The volume inspired me to think differently and to develop a new set of research questions to answer with my cohort data from a developing country …' Science