Environmental Forces that Shape Early Development: What We Know and Still Need to Know
Abstract
Understanding health requires more than knowledge of the genome. Environmental factors regulate gene function through epigenetics. Collectively, environmental exposures have been called the "exposome." Caregivers are instrumental in shaping exposures in a child's initial years. Maternal dietary patterns, physical activity, degree of weight gain, and body composition while pregnant will influence not only fetal growth, but also the infant's metabolic response to nutrients and energy. Maternal over- or underweight, excess caloric intake, nutrient imbalances, glucose dysregulation, and presence of chronic inflammatory states have been shown to establish risk for many later chronic diseases. During the period from birth to age 3 y, when the infant's metabolic rate is high and synaptogenesis and myelination of the brain are occurring extremely rapidly, the infant is especially prone to damaging effects from nutrient imbalances. During this period, the infant changes from a purely milk-based diet to one including a wide variety of foods. The process, timing, quality, and ultimate dietary pattern acquired are a direct outcome of the caregiver-infant feeding relationship, with potentially lifelong consequences. More research on how mea...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Cancer Epigenetics & Metabolism (Keystone)
Epigenetic changes are present and dysregulated in many cancers, including DNA methylation, non-coding RNA segments and post-translational protein modifications. The epigenetic changes may or may not provide advantages for the cancer cells. This feed focuses on the relationship between cell metabolism, epigenetics and tumor differentiation.
Brain developing: Influences & Outcomes
This feed focuses on influences that affect the developing brain including genetics, fetal development, prenatal care, and gene-environment interactions. Here is the latest research in this field.