Question

Which one of the following diseases is NOT developed by intrauterine growth retarded, full term Low Birth Weight infants in later life?

• A. Coronary heart disease
• B. Hypertension
• C. Diabetes
• D. Malabsorption syndrome

Hint:

Think about the Barker hypothesis and which listed disease has nothing to do with fetal programming.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question.
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) means a baby grows poorly inside the womb and is born small even at full term, a pattern called low birth weight. The question asks which disease is NOT a known later life risk for these babies.

Step 2: Key Concept.
This links to the Barker hypothesis, also called the fetal origins of adult disease idea. It says poor growth before birth programs the baby's body in ways that raise the risk of metabolic and heart disease as an adult.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation.
Coronary heart disease is a well documented later life risk in low birth weight babies, since poor fetal growth is linked to blood vessel changes that raise heart disease risk as adults.
Hypertension is also a known risk, since poor fetal growth affects how the kidneys and blood vessels develop, raising blood pressure later.
Diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes, is a classic risk in this group. Poor fetal nutrition programs the body toward insulin resistance, showing up as diabetes in adult life.
Malabsorption syndrome is a disorder of the gut failing to absorb nutrients, usually from causes like celiac disease, pancreatic problems, or bowel surgery. It has no established link to fetal growth restriction or being born small at term. This is the one that does NOT belong on the list.

Step 4: Final Answer.
Malabsorption syndrome is NOT a disease linked to low birth weight infants in later life; the other three, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, are all classic Barker hypothesis outcomes.