A bad diet whilst pregnant can have impact the child’s health, according to scientists have discovered a mechanism that explains how a imbalanced diet during pregnancy can raise the chance of the child developing diabetes later on in life. Studies on rats have indicated an poor nutrition in the mother can cause the “silencing” of a gene related to insulin production in the young.

Scientists already believe a bad diet throughout pregnancy can lead to health problems e.g. diabetes for the child in later life. The researchers at the University of Cambridge believe a poor diet in the pregnant mother can compromise the long-term functioning of a gene (Hnf4a) in the child.
Hnf4ais involved in the growth of the pancreas and in insulin production.

Rats were fed a diet lacking in protein, resulting in higher incidence of type 2 diabetes in their offspring.The study also found this Hnf4a gene seemed to be “silenced” as the offspring rats as they aged. The scientists suggest this may both instigate diabetes, and can be associated back to the maternal diet.

Lead researcher Dr Susan Ozanne of the University of Cambridgesaid more research would be required to confirm whether high-fat diets and/or other imbalanced diets had similar outcomes. “Having a healthy well-balanced diet any time in your life is important for your health,” she said, “but a healthy well-balanced diet during pregnancy is particularly important because of the impact on the baby long-term and potentially even on the grandchildren as well.”

Type 2 diabetes is linked with obesity. However several inheritable genes are also linked to obesity.

This latest study concentrates the “epigenetic” mechanisms which affect if a gene is expressed or not. Other studies have shown that these changes can be passed across generations without any modifications to our core DNA.

However British Heart Foundation’s Professor Jeremy Pearson said the study did not change the guidance to pregnant women to have a healthy, balanced diet, and said there was no reason for any unduly concern. He also said the study “adds to the evidence that a mother’s diet may sometimes alter the control of certain genes in her unborn child”.

Professor Douglas Kell of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council said, “This study uncovers – through epigenetics and molecular biology research – an important piece of this puzzle and shows us how apparently minor changes within cells at the very earliest stages of development can have a major influence on our health into old age.”

Posted by Mr. Trishul Vadi (Principal Osteopath in West Wickham, Beckenham, Bromley & South East London) on Tuesday, March 8th, 2011