The idea that nutrition in early life (foetal and infant) influences or 'programmes' long term health outcomes

has major implications for human biology, public health practice, inequalities in health and policy

development as well as for product development and wealth creation.

The scientific objectives of EARNEST with an indication of which THEMES will contribute to their

achievement are listed below.

* Quantification of the effects of early programming on later cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes,

cognitive and mental disorders, bone health and some cancers (Themes 1-3)

* Definition of the relative importance of critical periods in foetal and early life on later disease (1-3)

Exploration of the impact of genetic determinants on early programming effects and on subsequent

outcome (3)

* Understanding the role of specific nutrients and their interactions in the maternal and infant diet on

programming effects on disease and their risk factors (1-3)

* Understanding mechanisms for early programming on later disease and their risk factors (3)

* Development of appropriate strategies for treating and especially for preventing the amplification of

adverse programming effects of early nutrition (1)

* Exploration of the public health impact of how knowledge about early programming affects consumer

behaviour (4)

* Quantification of the impact of early nutrition on the economic burden of adult ill-health (5)

* Improvement of training and enhancement of training opportunities for all including accession countries

(8)

Objectives are given in a broad sense for the themes, more specifically for the included workpackages and

for the individual activitiesm wherever possible and meaningful.