What your father ate before you were born could influence your health
Article Summary:
A new article sheds light on the fact that what your parents do before you are born had direct effects on your health. The study, led by researchers from Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, observed the differences in 10 lean men's sperm cells, and 10 obese men. It the then investigated the differences in men's sperm cells before and 6 years after gastric bypass. The results were, as the article explains, possess different epigenetic marks that could alter the next generation's appetite, as reported in the medical journal Cell Metabolism." Additionally, the researchers found over 4,000 structural changes to the cell after gastric bypass surgery. While the results are obviously not conclusively, they point to the fact that parents' health can directly effect their children.
The inspiration for the experiment came from studies that acute nutritional stress, ie. a famine, can cause diabetes in the next generation. Another study showed that when a Swedish Village was incapable of attaining sufficient food, their unborn children would potentially suffer from cardiometabolic disease. The article explained, "The grandchildren's health was likely influenced by their ancestors' gametes (sperm or egg), which carried specific epigenetic marks -- e.g. chemical additions to the protein that encloses the DNA, methyl groups that change the structure of the DNA once it is attached, or molecules also known as small RNAs."
Personal Reflection:
I think this article plays on the nurture vs nature argument. It also makes me question my own genealogy. My parents, especially my dad, are not the perfect picture of health and therefore could have effected my metabolic health. Additionally, this makes me concerned for my future children. I feel like I will play closer attention to my health and my future husband's health for the sake of my children's future.
Correlation :
This article clearly relates to class. We talk a lot about DNA and genealogy. We watched Gataca, which has clear correlation with this article. It showed the importance of having pristine genes to have the perfect children. While I think the movie illustrates what happens when we take that too far, I do think we should set our children up to achieve the highest level of success possible. I do not think we should set them up for failure, or in this case, obesity or health issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment