Obesity changes boys' DNA expression – and affects their children
Boys' obesity during puberty increases the risk of asthma and lung problems in their future children, shows an international study based on health data from Danish registries.
Boys who are overweight in their teenage years risk passing health problems on to their future children.
This is shown by a new international study that has just been published in the scientific journal Nature Communications Biology.
The research team analyzed epigenetic traits from 339 people and their fathers' weight development through adolescence and found around 2,000 so-called epigenetic changes in children of fathers who had been overweight as teenagers.
"At that time, there is great activity in the germ cells, which can therefore be more susceptible to influences from obesity," explains Professor Vivi Schlünssen from the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University, one of the authors behind the study.
Double the risk of asthma
The epigenetic changes, which determine how genes are "turned on" and "turned off," were associated with increased risk of asthma, poor lung function, and obesity in the children.
From previous analyses of the same cohort, children of fathers who were overweight during puberty had double the risk of developing asthma compared to children of normal-weight fathers.
At the same time, they had lung function that was on average 200 ml less.
"In this study, we could see that there is a statistically significant connection between the epigenetic changes linked to the father's obesity during puberty and the children's health problems," says Vivi Schlünssen.
The researchers also discovered that daughters are more affected by their fathers' teenage obesity than sons. According to Vivi Schlünssen, this is presumably because the affected genes are different for the two sexes.
Study limitations
Although the results are striking, the researchers emphasize that the study cannot document a one-to-one causal relationship.
Other factors such as environmental influences and lifestyle also play a role.
"We have adjusted for several factors, but there may be other conditions we haven't accounted for," explains Vivi Schlünssen.
Consequences for prevention
According to the Danish Health Authority, around 20 percent of Danish teenage boys are overweight. Therefore, the study's results are important insights for health authorities.
The researchers believe the study should have consequences for how the healthcare system handles problems with obesity during adolescence.
"Today, pregnancy and the first years of life rightly receive great attention as a period with great prevention potential. Our results indicate that we should focus on combating obesity among teenagers – not only because of the young person's own health, but because it affects their future children's health," explains Vivi Schlünssen.
Behind the research results
Study type: Epigenome-wide association study - examines connections between the father's body silhouette and DNA methylation in offspring across the entire genome
Collaborating partners: University of Southampton, University of Bergen, Albacete University Hospital, University of Melbourne, Haukeland University Hospital
External funding: None, based on existing data
Possible conflict of interest: None
Link to scientific article: Father's adolescent body silhouette is associated with offspring asthma, lung function and BMI through DNA methylation - PubMed
Contact
Professor Vivi Schlünssen
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health
Phone: +45 28992499
Email: vs@ph.au.dk