London : Babies of mothers who diet around the time of conception and in early pregnancy may be more likely to become obese and develop type 2 diabetes later in life, a new study has revealed.
Researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of
Manchester in England conducted experiments involving sheep to
investigate the effects of altering nutrition around the time of conception and early pregnancy . They also investigated twin pregnancies.
The scientists then examined the brain tissue of the unborn lambs and found that there were changes in the genes that control food intake and glucose levels that may lead to obesity and diabetes.
Lead author Anne White said: "We found that unborn twin lambs had changes in the structure of DNA in the region of the brain that regulates food intake and glucose that resulted in an increased chance of diabetes in adulthood."
Although conducted on sheep, the researchers believe their findings are relevant to humans too as they reveal a non-genetic or "epigenetic" way in which the DNA of offspring can be altered.
White added: "Our findings provide a reason why twins are more likely to get diabetes but we have also shown that mothers who don't have enough food around the time of conception may have a child who grows up with an increased risk of obesity ."
The study appears online in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).
The scientists then examined the brain tissue of the unborn lambs and found that there were changes in the genes that control food intake and glucose levels that may lead to obesity and diabetes.
Lead author Anne White said: "We found that unborn twin lambs had changes in the structure of DNA in the region of the brain that regulates food intake and glucose that resulted in an increased chance of diabetes in adulthood."
Although conducted on sheep, the researchers believe their findings are relevant to humans too as they reveal a non-genetic or "epigenetic" way in which the DNA of offspring can be altered.
White added: "Our findings provide a reason why twins are more likely to get diabetes but we have also shown that mothers who don't have enough food around the time of conception may have a child who grows up with an increased risk of obesity ."
The study appears online in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).
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