Environmental Forces that Shape Early Development: What We Know and Still Need to Know

Current Developments in Nutrition
Kartik ShankarRobert Murray

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

Oct 26, 1991·BMJ : British Medical Journal·C N HalesP D Winter
Sep 9, 1989·Lancet·D J BarkerS J Simmonds
Jun 1, 1997·Appetite·P Pliner, E R Loewen
Dec 24, 1997·Journal of the American Dietetic Association·D R CoxK S Houck
Jul 11, 1998·Journal of Neurophysiology·W Schultz
Dec 28, 1999·Journal of the American Dietetic Association·J D SkinnerF Coletta
Feb 24, 2001·Journal of the American College of Nutrition·B R Carruth, J D Skinner
Nov 13, 2002·Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism·R E KleinmanJ M Murphy
Mar 29, 2003·Psychological Science·Stanley Colcombe, Arthur F Kramer
Jun 5, 2003·Journal of the American Dietetic Association·Amy T GallowayLeann L Birch
Aug 14, 2003·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Patrick M Catalano
Jun 9, 2004·Brain Research. Cognitive Brain Research·C FassbenderH Garavan
Dec 22, 2005·Physiology & Behavior·M E DinehartV B Duffy
May 18, 2006·Annual Review of Nutrition·Janet C King
Dec 26, 2006·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·R T Pivik, R A Dykman
Aug 9, 2007·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Catharine R GaleCyrus Cooper
Nov 23, 2007·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Kartik ShankarThomas M Badger
Jan 29, 2008·Physiology & Behavior·Julie A MennellaLauren M Yourshaw
Oct 1, 2008·Genes & Nutrition·Ben van OmmenHannelore Daniel
Oct 23, 2008·Appetite·Sophie Nicklaus
Feb 28, 2009·Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition·Gary K Beauchamp, Julie A Mennella
Feb 19, 2009·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Rebecca L RobkerRobert J Norman
Feb 20, 2009·The Journal of Comparative Neurology·Frederico A C AzevedoSuzana Herculano-Houzel
May 23, 2009·Diabetes Care·Patrick M CatalanoSylvie Hauguel-de Mouzon
Jun 12, 2009·Biology of Reproduction·Min DuMei J Zhu
Aug 13, 2009·Environmental Health Perspectives·Martyn T Smith, Stephen M Rappaport
Oct 2, 2009·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Gregory Z Tau, Bradley S Peterson
Oct 13, 2009·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·J SmithP Marceau
Mar 25, 2010·Child Development·Nathan A Fox, Michael Rutter
Apr 8, 2010·Endocrinology·Kartik ShankarThomas M Badger
Jul 16, 2010·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Margaret J R HeerwagenJacob E Friedman
Oct 12, 2010·Obesity·Subhabrata BasuSylvie Hauguel-de Mouzon
Nov 3, 2010·Neuropsychology Review·Joan Stiles, Terry L Jernigan
Dec 1, 2010·Journal of the American Dietetic Association·Mary Kay FoxDenise M Deming

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 23, 2020·Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism = Physiologie Appliquée, Nutrition Et Métabolisme·Robert Murray

❮ Previous
Next ❯

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.