Pregnant women's cognitive appraisal of a natural disaster affects their children's BMI and central adiposity via DNA methylation: Project Ice Storm

Early Hum Dev. 2016 Dec;103:189-192. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.09.013. Epub 2016 Oct 5.

Abstract

We determined the extent to which DNA methylation mediates the effects of maternal cognitive appraisal of a natural disaster during pregnancy on offspring growth at age 13. Negative maternal cognitive appraisal predicted both lower BMI and central adiposity via DNA methylation of diabetes-related genes, suggesting a protective role of epigenetics.

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity*
  • Attitude*
  • Body Mass Index*
  • Cognition
  • DNA Methylation*
  • Disasters*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications / genetics
  • Pregnancy Complications / psychology*
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology*
  • Stress, Psychological / genetics