Dietary nutrients during gestation cause obesity and related metabolic changes by altering DNA methylation in the offspring.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanistic and observational literature without systematic review methodology
PubMed 38449848 · doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1287255
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature examining the relationships between maternal under- or overnutrition of specific macronutrients and vitamins (protein, fructose, fat, vitamin D, methyl-group donors) across preconception, pregnancy, and lactation, alterations in offspring gene DNA methylation patterns, and subsequent offspring metabolic phenotypes.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, effect sizes, or study counts. It qualitatively reports that maternal under- or overnutrition of specific nutrients is associated with altered DNA methylation in various genes and subsequent development of offspring obesity, altered glucose, insulin, lipid, leptin, and adiponectin levels, elevated blood pressure, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Why it matters
Epigenetic modifications represent a key mechanistic link between maternal dietary exposures during developmental windows and long-term metabolic health in offspring. This review compiles evidence across multiple nutrient classes to map these reported associations.
Limits
This is a narrative review with no systematic search methodology, PRISMA flow, or quality appraisal reported. The abstract provides no quantitative effect estimates and does not delineate human clinical findings from animal or in vitro mechanistic models.
Cited by
- supports Animal studies demonstrate that high maternal sugar intake during pregnancy triggers epigenetic changes in fetal DNA that promote fat storage.