Young women who do not eat properly or exercise regularly are storing up health problems for the next generation as well as themselves.
Experts speaking at a major women's health conference in London on Monday warned that girls need to take care of their health to stop their babies going on to develop heart disease, strokes and diabetes.
Professor David Barker, director of the Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit highlighted the importance of nutrition and health for young women to ensure their children do not face the prospect of life-threatening and chronic disease.
The work of Professor Barker and colleagues points to a host of illnesses, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and osteoporosis originating in the foetus.
This foetal "programming" which determines health later on in life is strongly related to the mother's diet and lifestyle, even before she becomes pregnant.
Professor Barker said : "Improvement in the nutrition and health of young women before and during pregnancy, combined with improved growth during infancy, are important for the primary prevention of chronic disease."
Missing out
Professor Neil Armstrong, director of the Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre at the University of Exeter told the conference at the Royal Society of Medicine that young girls are also missing out on the physical activity they need to ensure they remain healthy later on in life.
Adolescents' activity levels deteriorate as they move through secondary school and the reduction in girls' physical activity is particularly marked
Professor Neil Armstrong University of Exeter
His research indicates that girls are much less likely to take exercise than boys, that school sports for girls is likely to be less vigorous and even that adults are more likely to pick up and carry a girl baby than a baby boy.
"Adolescents' activity levels deteriorate as they move through secondary school and the reduction in girls' physical activity is particularly marked," he added.
He believes that girls have got to adopt more active lifestyles if they are to avoid the problems associated with sedentary behaviour such as osteoporosis and heart disease.
Young girls need role models to encourage them to exercise and indications are that, if a mother exercises, then her daughter is more likely to follow her example, Professor Armstrong said.
