Understanding and acting on the developmental origins of health and disease in Africa would improve health across generations

Shane A. Norris; Abdallah Daar; Dorairajan Balasubramanian; Peter Byass; Elizabeth Kimani-Murage; Andrew Macnab; Christoff Pauw; Atul Singhal; Chittaranjan Yajnik; James Akazili; Naomi Levitt; Jihene Maatoug; Nolwazi Mkhwanazi; Sophie E. Moore; Moffat Nyirenda; Juliet R.C. Pulliam; Tamsen Rochat; Rihlat Said-Mohamed; Soraya Seedat; Eugene Sobngwi; Mark Tomlinson; Elona Toska; Cari van Schalkwyk

doi:10.1080/16549716.2017.1334985

Understanding and acting on the developmental origins of health and disease in Africa would improve health across generations

Shane A. Norris^*, Abdallah Daar, Dorairajan Balasubramanian, Peter Byass, Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, Andrew Macnab, Christoff Pauw, Atul Singhal, Chittaranjan Yajnik, James Akazili, Naomi Levitt, Jihene Maatoug, Nolwazi Mkhwanazi, Sophie E. Moore, Moffat Nyirenda, Juliet R.C. Pulliam, Tamsen Rochat, Rihlat Said-Mohamed, Soraya Seedat, Eugene SobngwiMark Tomlinson, Elona Toska, Cari van Schalkwyk

^*Corresponding author for this work

Women & Children's Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Data from many high- and low- or middle-income countries have linked exposures during key developmental periods (in particular pregnancy and infancy) to later health and disease. Africa faces substantial challenges with persisting infectious disease and now burgeoning non-communicable disease.This paper opens the debate to the value of strengthening the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research focus in Africa to tackle critical public health challenges across the life-course. We argue that the application of DOHaD science in Africa to advance life-course prevention programmes can aid the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and assist in improving health across generations. To increase DOHaD research and its application in Africa, we need to mobilise multisectoral partners, utilise existing data and expertise on the continent, and foster a new generation of young African scientists engrossed in DOHaD.

Original language	English
Article number	1334985
Journal	Global Health Action
Volume	10
Issue number	1
Early online date	18 Jul 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1334985
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 18 Jul 2017

Keywords

Africa
Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
Life course epidemiology
Non-communicable disease
Policy
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/16549716.2017.1334985Licence: CC BY

Understanding and acting on_NORRIS_Publishedonline18July2017_GOLD VoR (CC BY)Final published version, 1.43 MBLicence: CC BY

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Norris, S. A., Daar, A., Balasubramanian, D., Byass, P., Kimani-Murage, E., Macnab, A., Pauw, C., Singhal, A., Yajnik, C., Akazili, J., Levitt, N., Maatoug, J., Mkhwanazi, N., Moore, S. E., Nyirenda, M., Pulliam, J. R. C., Rochat, T., Said-Mohamed, R., Seedat, S., ... van Schalkwyk, C. (2017). Understanding and acting on the developmental origins of health and disease in Africa would improve health across generations. Global Health Action, 10(1), Article 1334985. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1334985

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abstract = "Data from many high- and low- or middle-income countries have linked exposures during key developmental periods (in particular pregnancy and infancy) to later health and disease. Africa faces substantial challenges with persisting infectious disease and now burgeoning non-communicable disease.This paper opens the debate to the value of strengthening the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research focus in Africa to tackle critical public health challenges across the life-course. We argue that the application of DOHaD science in Africa to advance life-course prevention programmes can aid the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and assist in improving health across generations. To increase DOHaD research and its application in Africa, we need to mobilise multisectoral partners, utilise existing data and expertise on the continent, and foster a new generation of young African scientists engrossed in DOHaD.",

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Norris, SA, Daar, A, Balasubramanian, D, Byass, P, Kimani-Murage, E, Macnab, A, Pauw, C, Singhal, A, Yajnik, C, Akazili, J, Levitt, N, Maatoug, J, Mkhwanazi, N, Moore, SE, Nyirenda, M, Pulliam, JRC, Rochat, T, Said-Mohamed, R, Seedat, S, Sobngwi, E, Tomlinson, M, Toska, E & van Schalkwyk, C 2017, 'Understanding and acting on the developmental origins of health and disease in Africa would improve health across generations', Global Health Action, vol. 10, no. 1, 1334985. https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1334985

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AU - Norris, Shane A.

AU - Daar, Abdallah

AU - Balasubramanian, Dorairajan

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AU - Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth

AU - Macnab, Andrew

AU - Pauw, Christoff

AU - Singhal, Atul

AU - Yajnik, Chittaranjan

AU - Akazili, James

AU - Levitt, Naomi

AU - Maatoug, Jihene

AU - Mkhwanazi, Nolwazi

AU - Moore, Sophie E.

AU - Nyirenda, Moffat

AU - Pulliam, Juliet R.C.

AU - Rochat, Tamsen

AU - Said-Mohamed, Rihlat

AU - Seedat, Soraya

AU - Sobngwi, Eugene

AU - Tomlinson, Mark

AU - Toska, Elona

AU - van Schalkwyk, Cari

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N2 - Data from many high- and low- or middle-income countries have linked exposures during key developmental periods (in particular pregnancy and infancy) to later health and disease. Africa faces substantial challenges with persisting infectious disease and now burgeoning non-communicable disease.This paper opens the debate to the value of strengthening the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research focus in Africa to tackle critical public health challenges across the life-course. We argue that the application of DOHaD science in Africa to advance life-course prevention programmes can aid the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and assist in improving health across generations. To increase DOHaD research and its application in Africa, we need to mobilise multisectoral partners, utilise existing data and expertise on the continent, and foster a new generation of young African scientists engrossed in DOHaD.

AB - Data from many high- and low- or middle-income countries have linked exposures during key developmental periods (in particular pregnancy and infancy) to later health and disease. Africa faces substantial challenges with persisting infectious disease and now burgeoning non-communicable disease.This paper opens the debate to the value of strengthening the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research focus in Africa to tackle critical public health challenges across the life-course. We argue that the application of DOHaD science in Africa to advance life-course prevention programmes can aid the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and assist in improving health across generations. To increase DOHaD research and its application in Africa, we need to mobilise multisectoral partners, utilise existing data and expertise on the continent, and foster a new generation of young African scientists engrossed in DOHaD.

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KW - Life course epidemiology

KW - Non-communicable disease

KW - Policy

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SN - 1654-9716

VL - 10

JO - Global Health Action

JF - Global Health Action

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M1 - 1334985

ER -

Understanding and acting on the developmental origins of health and disease in Africa would improve health across generations

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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