In recent decades a shift in the epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) from high to middle and low income countries has been observed. CVD mortality is declining in the high income regions but it still remains a major cause of premature death and presently >80 % of all CVD mortality occurs in the remaining part of the world. As atherosclerotic disease is a chronic disorder developing early in life and progressing over decades before symptoms occur factors that influence its onset should be sought as early as in childhood.