Here, we found that ANRIL promoter methylation at birth was associated with both heart rate and arterial stiffness at 9 years of age, providing further evidence for the importance of the early life environment in influencing health in later life and suggesting that differential methylation of CpG loci within the promoter of ANRIL may provide a marker to identify individuals in early life at increased risk of CHD disease in later life. The gene discussed is CDKN2B-AS1; the disease is coronary artery disorder.