The nine months that made you.

A fascinating look at how life in the womb might determine our future health. The story begins with Professor David Barker's research twenty years ago which seemed to suggest predictions for future health could be made merely from looking at birth records. He believed there was a link between low birth weight and heart disease later in life. This became known as The Barker Theory and was hugely criticised as people believed that diseases such as coronary artery disease were more likely to be connected to lifestyle. Evidence to support Baker's theory was found in Indian villages. Here, the lifestyle is very healthy, there is no obesity whatsoever yet there is a huge epidemic of diabetes and heart disease. In addition, in India, low birth weight children are common - so was Barker's theory right? Meanwhile, developmental psychologist, Janet Dipietro, is researching whether or not personality can be predicted by studying how foetuses behave in the womb. Research into the high rates of diabetes and heart disease in India was undertaken by Professor Ranjan Yajnik who showed that although the average Indian has a smaller body mass index, they have the same amount of fat as a much heavier Westerner, what he calls the thin-fat Indian man. Melissa Hines describes her research into how testosterone levels in the womb also affect growth and, subsequently, future health. Alongside research by Graham Burton into the importance of the placenta in a babies' nutrition levels in the womb, Barker visits Saudi Arabia where thousands of records have been kept which show the size of the placenta. Although the Saudi placentas are smaller, the babies are the same birth weight as a Western baby due to the quality of nutrition passing through from the mother. Barker and his colleague, Caroline Fall, are working in the slums of India to attempt to halt the epidemic of diabetes in India. Every day a special kitchen makes over 1500 snacks which are nutrient rich and are taken to clinics in the slums of the city where over 6000 women are participating. If this work is successful, the study of foetal origins could alter the health of future generations across the world.