What you eat could alter your unborn children and grandchildren’s genes and health outcomes

The relatively new discipline of epigenetics explores how diet and nutrition can affect not only our own health but that of future generations. Drazen Zigic/iStock via Getty Images Plus by Nathaniel Johnson, University of North Dakota; Hasan Khatib, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Thomas D. Crenshaw, University of Wisconsin-Madison Within the last century, researchers’ understanding of genetics has undergone a profound transformation. Genes, regions of DNA that are largely responsible for our physical characteristics, were considered unchanging under the original model of genetics pioneered by biologist Gregor Mendel in 1865. That is, genes were thought to be largely unaffected by a person’s environment. The emergence of the field of epigenetics in 1942 shattered this notion. Epigenetics refers to shifts in gene expression that occur without changes to the DNA sequence. Some epigenetic changes are an aspect of cell function, such as those associated with aging. However, environmental factors also affect the functions of genes, meaning people’s behaviors affect their genetics. For instance, identical twins develop from a single fertilized egg, and as a result, they share the same genetic makeup. However, as the twins age, their appearances may differ due to distinct environmental exposures. One twin may eat a healthy balanced...