Lawrence O. Gostin calls for action to curb non-communicable diseases (Nature 511, 147–149; 2014). Interventions in early life can also make a big difference.

There is now overwhelming evidence that factors in a child's early environment, during periods of developmental plasticity — including in utero — are major risk determinants for non-communicable disease in later life (see, for example, R. Barouki et al. Environ. Health 11, 42; 2012).

We should heed recommendations, based on findings in the field known as developmental origins of health and disease, that preventive strategies during fetal development and early childhood will ultimately be more effective in reducing the long-term burden of disease. (see, for example, S. C. Davies et al. Lancet 382, 1383–1384; 2013; and M. W. Gillman and D. S. Ludwig N. Engl. J. Med. 369, 2173–2175; 2013).