Previous studies have shown that changes in the intrauterine environment (e.g., the restriction of maternal protein and calories or prenatal exposure to glucocorticoid, alcohol or IL-6) trigger early programming, which results in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and CVD in adult offspring [28-32]. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.