To catch up or not to catch up: is this the question? Lessons from animal models

Low birth weight and accelerated postnatal catch-up growth during early life are independent risk factors for adult disease, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. As they are intimately linked, it is difficult to determine the independent contributions of birth weight and catch-up growth per se. This review focuses on evidence derived from animal models of disease, in which it is possible to dissect more clearly the independent roles of intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, and catch-up growth in mediating disease risk.

Recent data from rats, mice and birds show that accelerated postnatal growth is a trigger for the development of adult disease and, ultimately, can affect longevity.

Understanding the mechanisms and relative contribution of low birth weight and early postnatal catch-up growth to late onset of disease is critical to establish appropriate interventions to prevent or delay adult disease.