Link between prenatal stress and obesity in infant adulthood confirmed
The University of Navarra study has determined in rats the effect of moderate chronic stress during the last week of the embryonic development .
PHOTO: Manuel Castells
Researchers from the University of Navarra affirm that maternal stress during pregnancy, due to socioeconomic or psychosocial causes, is associated with the development of obesity-related pathologies in the child's adulthood. "The increasing prevalence of obesity cannot be attributable solely to genetic factors or to poor nutritionThe increasing prevalence of obesity cannot be attributed solely to genetic factors or poor nutrition, such as high-fat diets, but also to lifestyle and adverse environmental factors," explains Javier Campión, researcher .
The expert maintains that the accelerated pace that characterizes society produces an increase in the rate of stress in the population and this increase, parallel to the fees of obesity, makes it necessary to analyze the interaction between these two factors, which not only affect adulthood.
Thus, the goal of work, published in the journal Stress, was to determine in adult rats the effect of moderate chronic stress during the last week of embryonic development on phenotypic, biochemical and hormonal changes. They studied two groups, with and without stress, and examined in their offspring the alterations in the expression of genes related to obesity and glucocorticoid metabolism in white adipose tissue.
Biochemical, hormonal and genetic alterations.
"The overall conclusion we drew was that an adverse status during intrauterine development could lead to animals having a greater increase in body fat and biochemical, hormonal and genetic alterations, induced by the intake of a per diem expenses rich in fat and sugars," Campion stresses. "These changes," adds researcher, "lead to obesity and associated comorbidities such as insulin resistance in adulthood, possibly mediated by epigenetic mechanisms.
In the opinion of researcher, "the results of the study indicate that a healthy life during pregnancy does not only consist of a good diet, a good supply of vitamins and minerals, but also in having a quiet life, without stress".
The study was carried out at partnership with the research center Biomédica en network - Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), with the participation of researchers Laura Paternain, Fermín Milagro, Alfredo Martínez, Ana Laura de la Garza and María Dels Angels Batlle, together with Campión.