**9. Consequences of the metabolic syndrome**

Available data support the theory of "developmental origins of adult disease" hypothesis, the "Barker Hypothesis", which posits that a significant portion of the risk for adult metabolic conditions is determined by exposure occurring in the perinatal period [65]. The "Barker Hypothesis" proposes that a poor in-utero environment produced by maternal dietary or placental insufficiency may "program" susceptibility in the foetus to later development of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. The "Barker Hypothesis" further proposes that maternal MetSy has an epigenetic effect, making the next generation unwell and leading to an increase in T2DM and cardiovascular disease in juvenile age and in later life from obesity [65, 66]. The MetSy is further associated with polycystic ovary syndrome in girls, obstructive sleep apnoea, hypogonadism and some form of gynecological cancers especially endometrial cancer [67].
