Is cardiovascular mortality related to the season of birth?: evidence from more than 6 million cardiovascular deaths between 1992 and 2007.

摘要

There is increasing evidence that environmental factors in early pre- and post-natal life have significant impact on the development of various diseases later in adulthood. The "fetal origins hypothesis" proposes that risk of cardiovascular disorders originates in the exposure to certain factors during a critical period of development, with lasting effect on the disease process (1).Season of birth presents a well-defined variable associated with various environmental factors in early life, which are most likely not directly related to the genetic background. Not only meteorological factors, daily sunlight exposure, and alterations in air pollution and food supply, but also many behavioral changes, including dietary habits and physical activity levels throughout the year, are to be discussed as potential influences associated with the season of birth.