This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.This handbook synthesizes and analyzes the growing knowledge base on life course health development LCHD from the prenatal period through emerging adulthood with implications for clinical practice and public health. It presents LCHD as an innovative field with a sound theoretical framework for understanding wellness and disease from a lifespan perspective replacing previous medical biopsychosocial and early genomic models of health. Interdisciplinary chapters discuss major health concerns diabetes obesity important lessstudied conditions hearing kidney health and largescale issues nutrition adversity from a lifespan viewpoint. In addition chapters address methodological approaches and challenges by analyzing existing measures studies and surveys. The book concludes with the editors research agenda that proposes priorities for future LCHD research and its application to health care practice and health policy.Topics featured in the Handbook include The prenatal period and its effect on child obesity and metabolic outcomes.Pregnancy complications and their effect on womens cardiovascular health.A multilevel approach for obesity prevention in children.Application of the LCHD framework to autism spectrum disorder.Socioeconomic disadvantage and its influence on health development across the lifespan.The importance of nutrition to optimal health development across the lifespan.The Handbook of Life Course Health Development is a musthave resource for researchers cliniciansprofessionals and graduate students in developmental psychologyscience maternal and child health social work health economics educational policy and politics and medical law as well as many interrelated subdisciplines in psychology medicine public health mental health education social welfare economics sociology and law.