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Energy Gap In The Aetiology Of Body Weight Gain And Obesity: A Challenging Concept With A Complex Evaluation And Pitfalls, Yves Schutz, Nuala Byrne, Abdul Dulloo, Andrew Hills

Nuala Byrne

Double burden of childhood undernutrition and adult-onset adiposity in transitioning societies poses a significant public health challenge. The development of suboptimal lean body mass (LBM) could partly explain the link between these two forms of malnutrition. This review examines the evidence on both the role of nutrition in “developmental programming” of LBM and the nutritional influences that affect LBM throughout the life course. Studies from developing countries assessing the relationship of early nutrition with later LBM provide important insights. Overall, the evidence is consistent in suggesting a positive association of early nutritional status (indicated by birth weight and growth during …