Does Nutrition during Infancy and Early Childhood Contribute to Later Obesity via Metabolic Imprinting of Epigenetic Gene Regulatory Mechanisms?

摘要

An epidemic of obesity is occurring in the US and many other developed countries, and appears to be responsible for an associated increase in the prevalence of type-2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Alarmingly, this trend for increasing adiposity and its comorbidities is not limited to adults, but is also threatening children at younger and younger ages. Over the last three decades, the prevalence of overweight among children age 2-19 years has nearly doubled in the US [1]. What is the cause of the dramatic increase in adiposity among our children and adults? The increasing availability of highly palatable foods combined with more 'modern' lifestyles involving less physical work and play are creating a more obesigenic environment. But why do some individuals respond to these environmental changes with increased adiposity, while others seem naturally resistant to increases in body weight?