This lecture explores the critical impact of early-life growth, particularly during the preconception, pregnancy, and early childhood periods, on long-term cardio-metabolic health. Adverse fetal exposures and poor growth during critical periods have lasting impacts on cardiovascular health. Using advanced imaging techniques like MRI, the speaker illustrates the impact of childhood obesity on various organ systems, including the heart, liver, and brain. Effective prevention of these diseases should begin in the earliest phases of life, from preconception through early childhood. Future preventive strategies need to focus on modifiable factors during these stages to improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
