First 1000 days and future healthy life: The connection, consequences, and call for action

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes mellitus, are increasing in both resource-poor and resource-rich settings. Populations in resource-poor nations are increasingly suffering from the added burden of NCDs on top of the pre-existing burden of infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies.  With an aging population in most parts of the world, the global burden of NCDs is projected to further rise in the next decades. The presentation, through evidence-based analysis, focuses on the key links between the first 1000 days (conception to two years of life) and subsequent risk of developing NCDs. Complex issues such as nutritional security, the lack of comprehensive services, and lack of policy initiatives to tackle NCDs are identified and strategies for addressing them are discussed. Interventions directed towards providing a healthy start to life and the benefits accruing therefrom to individuals and nations are examined. The role of men in promoting health and nutrition during the critical first 1000 days as well as in furthering the post-2015 development agenda in this context is explored.