Sceince - You are what you eat...well, what your father ate...whatever...

Some interesting new research has been uncovered pointing to how the paternal environmental changes - in this case eating habits - can have an effect on the following generation.

Now don't start chugging protein shakes and smoothies hoping that your offspring would be the next Governator as that is not exactly what it is referring to. The dietary patterns of your parents before your conception is much more relevant to your susceptibility to specific diseases.

"Knowing what your parents were doing before you were conceived is turning out to be important in determining what disease risk factors you may be carrying," said Oliver J. Rando, MD, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology at UMMS and principal investigator for the study, which details how paternal diet can increase production of cholesterol synthesis genes in first-generation offspring."

This phenomenon is referred to as epigenetic inheritance.
"A number of recent studies, however, have begun to draw attention to the role epigenetic inheritance – inherited changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence – may play in a host of illnesses."

To affirm their findings the parties involved did some testing on male lab mice divided into two groups. The first group received a standard diet whilst the second was more partial to a low-protein diet - all females were fed a standard diet as a control mechanism. What they found was that the group with the low-protein diet produced offspring that "exhibited a marked increase in the genes responsible for lipid and cholesterol synthesis".

You can find the article here.

So the next time someone gives you the "why-do-you-live-healthily-because-you-can-get-run-over-by-a-bus-tomorrow-and-die-anyway" argument, firstly tell them that they should not be so narrow-minded and lazy yet more importantly that you are thinking of the health of your offspring. ;-)

Should make for some interesting conversation.

Go forth and conquer...
WB