Lifestyle, Not Just Genes, Could Imprint Next Generation

July 23, 2007 — -- People can inherit baldness, facial features and other physical traits from their grandparents. Some even believe musical abilities and rhythm can be passed from previous generations.

But according to researchers, it's not just your grandparents' genes leaving their imprints on you, but also their lifestyle factors.

Researchers in the science of epigenetics looked at how things like diet and physical activity can alter a person's genes, not just for him or her but also future generations.

"There is now very good evidence that our grandparents can predispose to disease in subsequent generations," said Mark Hanson of Southampton University. "That comes both from laboratory studies in small animals like rats and mice, and it also comes from population studies in humans."

In addition, University of Southern California doctors found women who smoked during pregnancy not only increased their child's risk of asthma, but also their grandchildren's chances, too. The research suggested tobacco may damage the fetus — and if the baby is a girl, her eggs or the DNA may be affected. It could alter immune function, thus increasing her risk of asthma.

There are plenty doctors who said the theory is intriguing, but it's still theory because the research on the human link is far from proven.

"There are some interesting early data that would be along those lines in experimental animals," said Dr. Andy Feinberg, of Johns Hopkins University. "So far in humans, this is an area that is interesting speculation but too early to say."

Despite that, researchers in epigenetics suggest, while our lifestyles have changed dramatically, our genes have not.

"We've changed our world in our lifetime in the kinds of food we eat, the use of elevators," Hanson said. "We sit at home … a playing computer game rather than going out for a cycle ride. All of those things have changed enormously."

The end result could be a genetic mismatch that wreaks havoc with our bodies and future generations. It could explain the explosion of certain lifestyle-induced diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.