A groundbreaking study conducted by Tulane University has revealed that the dietary choices of past generations not only affected their health, but could also be shaping the well-being of their descendants. Published in the journal Heliyon, the research focuses on how a low-protein diet can trigger negative effects that are passed on for up to four generations. Using mice as a model, the researchers found that a protein-deficient diet in grandparents caused their offspring to be born with lower birth weight and smaller kidneys. These problems persisted, even when subsequent generations received an adequate diet. According to experts, this condition is closely linked to an increased risk of hypertension and chronic kidney disease, conditions that affect millions of people worldwide.
Impacts that are not erased
The study’s lead author, Giovane Tortelote, described the phenomenon as a “genetic avalanche”. Although attempts were made to correct the diet in subsequent generations, the initial alterations persisted, leaving an “epigenetic imprint” in the descendants. This means that, despite improved diets, the inherited traits continued to manifest, such as a low count of nephrons, the units that allow the kidneys to filter waste from the body. “It’s not just about what the mother eats during pregnancy; there seems to be something epigenetic in the father that also influences,” Tortelote explained, suggesting that both parents play a crucial role in the health of their children and grandchildren.
Lessons for public health
Although this study still needs to be replicated in humans, its findings open an important window to understanding diseases such as chronic kidney disease, which is among the leading causes of death in developed countries. According to Tortelote, this condition could be linked to health problems that begin even before birth, due to a chain of intergenerational events. Furthermore, the research highlights the importance of addressing nutritional crises with a long-term perspective. Nutritional deficiencies not only have an immediate impact on those who suffer from them, but could generate health problems in future generations, perpetuating a vicious cycle that needs to be stopped.
Looking to the future
Although scientists observe signs of normalization in the third and fourth generations of offspring, questions remain. How many generations do they need to fully recover from the effects of malnutrition? What genetic mechanisms are at play? This study, although preliminary, is a reminder that our dietary choices have a more profound impact than we imagine, and that the well-being of future generations may depend on the choices we make today.
