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.