Epigenetic changes are alterations affecting gene expression that do not involve actual changes in gene sequence. For example, methylation of DNA can in many cases suppress gene expression. It is possible for these changes to be passed on from parent to child; one possible historical example was with the Dutch famine of 1944, and subsequent health problems of offspring.
Recently, the possibility has been raised that obesity can cause epigenetic changes that can be passed down to children - a sobering thought that adds to the incentive to lose weight and, optimally, never become obese in the first place. The following paragraphs are from the linked article, in which Dr. Barres explains his findings:
He further explains that in moderately obese men, they detected “that methylation (a metabolic process used by cells to control gene expression) of genes was dramatically different compared to lean men, particularly at genes important for brain development and the regulation of appetite. And although we don’t know if the epigenetic marks of obese man are transferred to the child—we have not studied the children—they carry potential to change appetite in the offspring.”
While it appears that a man’s weight at the time of conception determines the type of DNA he will be passing on to his children, we wondered if a man who was obese years prior to conception could still pass those genes along. “I wish I could answer this question,” states Barrés. “For the reason I explained above, we don’t know if epigenetic marks will be transferred to the child. And also, we don’t know how long Dad’s marks are stable.”
Barrés also admits he didn’t expect to observe such significant alterations in epigenetic information. “Discovering that lifestyle and environmental factors, such as a person’s nutritional state, can shape the information in our gametes and thereby modify the eating behavior of the next generation is, to my mind, an important find,” he stated in a press release.
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