In the past, the common diseases of adult life were thought be caused by people’s lifestyles — their food, smoking habits, stress and physical activity. While bad life styles do increase the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and cancer, differences in people’s lifestyles do not explain why one person gets a disease while another does not.

The burden of chronic disease is rising. Everyone has family and friends who are affected. The costs for health care are becoming insupportable. Soon 250 million people around the globe will have diabetes. Genes cannot explain such an epidemic.

We need a new strategy to combat this threat. One has been discovered. We now know that if a baby is poorly nourished in the womb, so that it grows slowly, its organs, including its heart, kidney and bone, will be permanently changed and made vulnerable to coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis.

A baby is nourished by its mother’s body as well as by what she eats in pregnancy. Her body is built up through her life. Girls and young women need to be well nourished so that their babies will be well nourished.

The mission of the Foundation is to improve the growth and development of babies and young children by ensuring that girls and young women have varied and balanced diets. To achieve this mission, the Foundation will promote public engagement, training and research.

ENDING CHRONIC DISEASE

Please click on the chronic diseases listed to the right if you would like to learn more specifically about the research being done in that field.