Your health as an adult determined by mother’s diet during and shortly before pregnancy
If you are still wondering how your burger and fries will affect not only your own genes but those of your children, the latest study will shed some light on the issue. The study demonstrated that a mother’s protein intake and level of fat in her diet may cause epigenetic changes in her developing baby that have long term health consequences.
Dr. Kelle Moley from the Washington University School of Medicine, found that the epigenetic changes that occur between ovulation and conception had a lasting effect on the health of the offspring. She believes we should now also re-direct our scrutiny of maternal health to the pre-pregnancy period.
Other findings were;
Mothers who had vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies had offspring who were fatter,
became insulin resistant and had higher blood pressure.
Low protein levels in the mother during the early months of conception led to abnormal growth, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and jumpy behaviour. The offspring also grew
bigger than average after birth, extracting as much nutrients as they can to make up for the lack of nutrition in the womb.
According to Shuk-meu Ho Ph.D from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center these early epigenetic changes or “memories” remain dormant until environmental influences activate them to alter the risk for disease.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721122843.htm
