The risk of developing metabolic and allergic disease is influence by a range of factors across an individual’s lifespan. Environmental exposures during foetal development and infancy are now considered responsible for a significant part of lifetime disease risk, as they can trigger adaptations in the developing offspring. While these effects may be adaptive in the short term, they may also be associated with adverse outcomes in childhood and later life, including a greater risk of obesity (Bammann K, Peplies J, De Henauw S, et al, 2014), type 2 diabetes, heart disease and allergy.