Researchers at the University of Southampton have revealed that parental diets and health before conception could have a significant influence on the growth, development and long-term health of the offspring.
In this new research published in The Lancet as a part of a larger series, scientists analysed the dietary patterns and health of women of reproductive age (18-42 years old) in the United Kingdom and Australia.
The findings show that smoking, excessive intake of alcohol and caffeine, diet, obesity, and malnutrition may result in genetic, cellular, metabolic and physiological changes during foetal development, thereby increasing the subsequent risk for cardiovascular, metabolic, immune and neurological diseases during the child's lifetime, with the risk often extending into adulthood. There could possibly be many more unidentified risk factors according to the authors.
Professor Keith Godfrey, Director of the National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, said: "Research is now showing that our gametes and early embryos are sensitive to a variety of environmental conditions including poor parental diet." He further emphasised the need for both parents to follow a healthy lifestyle well before conception and pregnancy.
