They found that lower DNA methylation at the CDKN2A gene, which regulates the production of fat cells, was associated with a greater risk of the child developing obesity in later life.Īnalysis showed that a 10 per cent decrease in methylation at the CDKN2A gene was associated with an increase in fat mass of around 220g, at age four years. They compared DNA methylation levels present at birth with the amount of fat tissue in the child at four and six years of age. Researchers from the University of Southampton, as part of the EpiGen Global Consortium, analysed the levels of DNA methylation in umbilical cord tissue of babies born in the Southampton Women’s Survey. One of the main epigenetic modifications is DNA methylation, which plays a key role in embryonic development and the formation of different cell types, regulating when and where genes are switched on.Īlthough DNA methylation was originally thought to be a very stable modification, which once established in early life was then maintained throughout the life span of an individual, there is now growing evidence that the level of DNA methylation can be affected by a range of environmental factors such as parental health, diet and lifestyle. These changes, known as epigenetic modifications, control the activity of our genes without changing the actual DNA sequence. Published: 25 April 2017 Risk of obesity influenced by changes in our genesĪ child’s risk of obesity as they grow up can be influenced by modifications to their DNA prior to birth, a new University of Southampton study has shown.
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