Learning Objectives

After completion of this module students will be able to:

• Describe genetic and environmental risk factors and how they contribute to obesity.
• Explore methods for studying genetic influences.
• Consider how genetic research informs other aspects of obesity studies.
• Articulate limitations of genetics in explaining causes of obesity.
• Explore factors in fetal programming and how these contribute to obesity risk.
• Explore methods for studying fetal programming.
• Consider the role of fetal programming transdisciplinary obesity research.
• Articulate the relationship between obesity and fetal programming.

Key Concepts - Genetic and Environmental Influences

• An individual’s genetic pre-disposition increases risk for obesity.
• Obesity is a complex disease involving complex interactions between genes and environment. All traits are products of gene and environmental interaction.
• Gene mutations can offer clues to genetic links to obesity.
• The study of satiety and appetite regulation offers some clues how genetic variations affect obesity.
• The STRONG Kids research project has shown there is a direct correlation between number of genetic risk markers and higher BMI.

Key Concepts - Fetal Programming

• Fetal programming is the process through which environmental factors, including nutrition, act in early life to program risks for a myriad of diseases in adult life.
• Fetal growth restriction is an important cause of some of the most common, costly, and disabling medical disorders of later life including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, impaired glucose metabolism.
• Good nutrition during pregnancy is not only related to the health of the mom and birthweight of the baby, but also risk for the baby of obesity and related diseases later in life.
• Epigenetics refers to aa change in DNA that does not involve a change in the DNA sequence but alters expression of a gene.
• Our response to diet and risks for obesity throughout our lifetime is affected, in part, by the diet and lifestyle choices of our parents and grandparents before we were born.
• Fetal programming alters regulation of appetite, amount of adipose tissue, adipocyte metabolism, response to physical activity, metabolic rate, and sensitivity to hormones.

Video Microlectures

• Video: Genetics and Obesity
  Dr. Margarita Teran-Garcia, Division Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Video: Fetal Programming
  Dr. Shawn S. Donkin, Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University

Optional Readings

• Wang, Y., Wang, A., Donovan, S.M., & Teran-Garcia, M. (2013). Individual genetic variations related to satiety and appetite control increase risk of obesity in preschool-age children in the STRONG Kids Program. Human Heredity, 75, 152-159.