Epigenetics Part 3

INTRODUCING THE FETAL ORIGINS HYPOTHESIS…..

This theory was proposed by David Barker back in the nineties, he hypothesised that children of low birth weight had an increased risk to a range of pathologies in adult life that children of a healthy weight. These illnesses were hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. His conclusion subsequently supported by clear and extensive research, was that adequate nutrition during fetal development is absolutely critical to the offspring's health outcomes in later life.¹

So what about OVERNUTRITION during pregnancy?

Did you know that overnutrition is actually a form of malnutrition!

Guess what? An increased risk of the pathologies for undernutrition of the fetus has also been established for overnutrition of the fetus!^2,3

So a baby that is born below or above normal birth weight both have an increased risk of a range of illnesses in later life!

This is heavily influenced by environmental factors like mums diet!

Maternal diets high in fats and sugars (carbohydrates) contribute to high birth weight in children and also leads to an increased risk for pathologies like diabetes in later life. This is thought to be due to epigenetic reprogramming of metabolic pathways in the fetus. Causing changes like decreased insulin sensitivity and increased adiposity (fat tissue) which are all prerequisites for diabetes!³

So essentially, a diet that is high in particularly fats and lipids leads to too much glucose and fats, which are the substances our cells and fetal cells use for energy. The fetus adapts to this high fat and high glucose environment by becoming less sensitive to glucose and also stores excess energy as fat. These changes increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease in later life!^2,4-6

 THE DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE HYPOTHESIS is our final destination….

The moral of the story is, when possible a women should attempt to be in a healthy weight range before getting pregnant and very importantly eat a well-balanced diet during pregnancy. This message is primarily targeted at those who have the means to do this. In first world countries like Australia, the US and UK the obesity epidemic is a major concern. Yes obesity has grievous consequences for those afflicted, but spare a thought for the population of humans that don’t have a say in this plight. The unborn child is inherently vulnerable and utterly dependent on the mother at this time. We are only just starting to grasp the significance of modifiable behaviours during this period and the lasting effects that can result on a life…….MATERNAL HEALTH MATTERS

References

1.  Cutfield WS, Hofman PL, Mitchell M, Morison IM. Could epigenetics play a role in the developmental origins of health and disease? Pediatr Res. 2007 May;61(5 Pt 2):68R-75R.

2.  Muhlhausler BS, Ong ZY. The fetal origins of obesity: early origins of altered food intake. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2011 Sep 1;11(3):189-97.

3.  Dyer JS, Rosenfeld CR. Metabolic imprinting by prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal overnutrition: a review. Semin Reprod Med. 2011 May;29(3):266-76.

4.  Stocker CJ, Arch JR, Cawthorne MA. Fetal origins of insulin resistance and obesity. Proc Nutr Soc. 2005 May;64(2):143-51.

5.  Martinez JA, Cordero P, Campion J, Milagro FI. Interplay of early-life nutritional programming on obesity, inflammation and epigenetic outcomes. Proc Nutr Soc. 2012 May;71(2):276-83.

6.  Rkhzay-Jaf J, O'Dowd JF, Stocker CJ. Maternal Obesity and the Fetal Origins of the Metabolic Syndrome. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2012 Oct;6(5):487-495.