(28-04-11) Obesity DNA' triggered by poor pregnancy diet

Women who eat badly during pregnancy can change their children's DNA to make
them more susceptible to obesity, scientists have discovered.
By Stephen Adams, Medical Correspondent
A poor diet can trigger what are known as epigenetic changes - when
alterations in the environment cause changes in DNA - that make offspring more
likely to put on more fatty tissue.
A team of international scientists, led by Keith Godfrey of Southampton
University, found that epigenetic changes could predict 25 per cent of the
variation in obesity rates at six or nine years.
The study, to be published on April 26 in the journal Diabetes, showed that
the epigenetic effect worked independently of how fat or thin the mother was -
meaning thin mothers who ate badly were just as likely to cause obesity in
their children as fat ones.
The scientists drew their conclusions after measuring epigenetic changes in
nearly 300 children at birth, and relating these to obesity rates later in
childhood.
Godfrey, professor of epidemiology, said: "We have shown for the first time
that susceptibility to obesity cannot simply be attributed to the combination
of our genes and our lifestyle, but can be triggered by influences on a baby's
development in the womb, including what the mother ate.
"A mother's nutrition while pregnant can cause important epigenetic changes
that contribute to her offspring's risk of obesity during childhood."
He added: "This study indicates that measures to prevent childhood obesity
should be targeted on improving a mother's nutrition and her baby's development
in the womb. "
Professor Mark Hanson, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study
provides compelling evidence that epigenetic changes, at least in part, explain
the link between a poor start to life and later disease risk.
"It strengthens the case for all women of reproductive age having greater
access to nutritional, education and lifestyle support to improve the health of
the next generation, and to reduce the risk of the conditions such as diabetes
and heart disease, which often follow obesity."
The study was primarily funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), the
National Institute for Health Research, WellChild (previously Children
Nationwide), Arthritis Research UK and the University of Southampton.

Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

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