Homage to the ‘H’ in developmental origins of health and disease

Abstract

Abundant evidence exists linking maternal and paternal environments from pericopconception through the postnatal period to later risk to offspring diseases. This concept was first articulated by the late Sir David Barker and as such coined the Barker Hypothesis. The term was then mutated to Fetal Origins of Adult Disease and finally broadened to developmental origins of adult health and disease (DOHaD) in recognition that the perinatal environment can shape both health and disease in resulting offspring. Developmental exposure to various factors, including stress, obesity, caloric-rich diets and environmental chemicals can lead to detrimental offspring health outcomes. However, less attention has been paid to date on measures that parents can take to promote the long-term health of their offspring. In essence, have we neglected to consider the ‘H’ in DOHaD? It is the ‘H’ component that should be of primary concern to expecting mothers and fathers and those seeking to have children. While it may not be possible to eliminate exposure to all pernicious factors, prevention/remediation strategies may tip the scale to health rather than disease. By understanding disruptive DOHaD mechanisms, it may also illuminate behavioral modifications that parents can adapt before fertilization and throughout the neonatal period to promote the lifelong health of their male and female offspring. Three possibilities will be explored in the current review: parental exercise, probiotic supplementation and breastfeeding in the case of mothers. The ‘H’ paradigm should be the focus going forward as a healthy start can indeed last a lifetime.

Epigenetic Advances in Behavioral and Brain Sciences Have Relevance for Public Policy

“…Indeed one of the factors consistently shown to influence DNA methylation levels in offspring is parenting, an observation initially made upon examination of genes controlling stress responsivity (Weaver et al, 2004) and plasticity (Roth, Lubin, Funk & Sweatt, 2009) in rodent models and subsequently translated to humans (McGowan et al, 2009; Perroud et al, 2011; Perroud et al, 2013; Tyrka et al, 2012; Weder et al, 2014). Data are consistent with the notion that epigenetic alterations caused by experiences and environmental factors within early development provide a basis for the developmental origins of health and disease (Hales & Barker, 1992; Rosenfeld, 2017). …”

Diet and physical activity in pregnancy and offspring’s cardiovascular health: a systematic review

“…13,49,50 Recommendations for further research In order to optimally use the information from studies on maternal lifestyle and offspring health, harmonization of valid exposure and outcome measurements and the development of core outcome sets would reduce research waste and speed up scientific progress in this field. 51,52 Since there is evidence from animal studies that maternal exercise can abolish the negative effects of maternal diet, 53 more research should focus on the programming effect of maternal physical activity in combination with maternal diet, which both should be examined validly and consistently across studies. Moreover, studying both maternal diet and physical activity at the same time could give more insight in the role of maternal energy balance on offspring cardiovascular health, with the ultimate goal to gain knowledge on how to help women to provide their child with the best start in life through an optimal lifestyle before and during pregnancy.…”

The role of gut microbiota in the effects of maternal obesity during pregnancy on offspring metabolism

“…He suggested that maternal under-nutrition during pregnancy and early post-partum would program offspring to adapt to this thrifty environment and develop various dysfunctions. Thereafter, the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis was brought forward in the last decade [ 4 , 5 ], which proposed that an adverse developmental environment in utero and early postnatal life negatively influences long-term health and increases the risk of developing obesity [ 6 ], diabetes [ 7 ], cardiovascular disease [ 8 ], and other chronic diseases. Hence, maternal obesity during pregnancy programs an increased risk of the offspring developing metabolic disturbances.…”