Scientists at the University of Sydney have found that there is a strong link between a parental diet and their offspring's immunity. The work was published yesterday in Biological Reviews.
The researchers completed a meta-analysis and looked at the data across 38 published papers that had experiments completed in a variety of animal species. Their study showed that across the animal kingdom, poor parental nutrition negatively affected many traits, including immunity.
"Our meta-analysis suggests that the effects of a parental diet on immunity can be inherited and that this 'signal' is maintained in offspring in the short term, even if offspring are on the normal diet for their species," said lead author Catherine Grueber. "Researchers are now following a range of leads to discover exactly what that 'signal' is, what the long-term consequences are and whether the effects can be reversed if offspring continue to eat a healthy diet as they grow."
Co-author Stephen Simpson notes that these findings are relevant towards humans and the importance of a healthy diet. "We already know that parents need to be mindful of maintaining a healthy diet not only during pregnancy but also before they conceive," Simpson said. "This study demonstrates that the impacts of a parent's diet can extend beyond birth to affect the health of the child."