Protein, programming and plumpness: is there a link?

Early-life nutrition has been suggested to influence the progression of chronic disease. In this issue of Clinical Science, Ozanne and colleagues argue that the pre- and post-natal diet can have a significant impact on the risk of becoming overweight in later life. Although an intriguing finding that warrants further investigation, it is most likely that the key to stemming the obesity pandemic will depend chiefly on the implementation of effective population-wide strategies that focus on lifestyle modification, both in childhood and in adult life.