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Babies' genes influence birth weight and later life disease

Research

New research finds genetic differences that help to explain why some babies are born bigger or smaller than others.

Baby being weighed © Beneda Miroslav - Shutterstock

The research, led by the University of Oxford, also reveals how genetic differences provide an important link between an individual’s early growth and their chances of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease in later life.

The large-scale study, published in Nature, could help to target new ways of preventing and treating these diseases.

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