IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jchals/v9y2018i2p42-d189848.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental Impact on Health across Generations: Policy Meets Biology. A Review of Animal and Human Models

Author

Listed:
  • Marianne Lønnebotn

    (Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5018 Bergen, Norway)

  • Natalia El-Merhie

    (Division of Experimental Asthma Research, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz-Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 23845 Borstel, Germany)

  • John W. Holloway

    (Human Development & Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

  • William Horsnell

    (Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Division of Immunology, University of Cape Town 7925, South Africa & South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
    Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
    Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Immunology and Neuro-genetics, UMR 7355, CNRS-University of Orleans and Le Studium Institute for Advanced Studies, Rue Dupanloup, 45000 Orléans, France)

  • Susanne Krauss-Etschmann

    (Division of Experimental Asthma Research, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz-Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 23845 Borstel, Germany
    Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany)

  • Francisco Gómez Real

    (Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5053 Bergen, Norway)

  • Cecilie Svanes

    (Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5018 Bergen, Norway)

Abstract

Intrauterine and early life has been accepted as important susceptibility windows for environmental exposure and disease later in life. Emerging evidence suggests that exposure before conception may also influence health in future generations. There has been little research on human data to support this until now. This review gives evidence from epigenetic as well as immunologic research, and from animal as well as human models, supporting the hypothesis that there may be important susceptibility windows before conception in relation to exposure such as obesity, diet, smoking and infections. It is likely that we can identify vulnerability windows in men and women in which interventions may have an impact on several generations in addition to individual health. Establishing vulnerability windows affecting health over future generations, and not only in the now or the near future of the individual, may provide tremendous opportunities for health policy and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Marianne Lønnebotn & Natalia El-Merhie & John W. Holloway & William Horsnell & Susanne Krauss-Etschmann & Francisco Gómez Real & Cecilie Svanes, 2018. "Environmental Impact on Health across Generations: Policy Meets Biology. A Review of Animal and Human Models," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:9:y:2018:i:2:p:42-:d:189848
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/9/2/42/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/9/2/42/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tarjei S. Mikkelsen & Jacob Hanna & Xiaolan Zhang & Manching Ku & Marius Wernig & Patrick Schorderet & Bradley E. Bernstein & Rudolf Jaenisch & Eric S. Lander & Alexander Meissner, 2008. "Dissecting direct reprogramming through integrative genomic analysis," Nature, Nature, vol. 454(7200), pages 49-55, July.
    2. Tarjei S. Mikkelsen & Jacob Hanna & Xiaolan Zhang & Manching Ku & Marius Wernig & Patrick Schorderet & Bradley E. Bernstein & Rudolf Jaenisch & Eric S. Lander & Alexander Meissner, 2008. "Erratum: Dissecting direct reprogramming through integrative genomic analysis," Nature, Nature, vol. 454(7205), pages 794-794, August.
    3. Callahan, D. & Jennings, B., 2002. "Ethics and public health: Forging a strong relationship," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(2), pages 169-176.
    4. Eric L. Greer & Travis J. Maures & Duygu Ucar & Anna G. Hauswirth & Elena Mancini & Jana P. Lim & Bérénice A. Benayoun & Yang Shi & Anne Brunet, 2011. "Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans," Nature, Nature, vol. 479(7373), pages 365-371, November.
    5. Wolf, J.H., 2003. "Low Breastfeeding Rates and Public Health in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(12), pages 2000-2010.
    6. Sheau-Fang Ng & Ruby C. Y. Lin & D. Ross Laybutt & Romain Barres & Julie A. Owens & Margaret J. Morris, 2010. "Chronic high-fat diet in fathers programs β-cell dysfunction in female rat offspring," Nature, Nature, vol. 467(7318), pages 963-966, October.
    7. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & Glenn Albrecht & Dianne E. Campbell & Julian Crane & Ashlee Cunsolo & John W. Holloway & Anita L. Kozyrskyj & Christopher A. Lowry & John Penders & Nicole Redvers &, 2018. "The Canmore Declaration: Statement of Principles for Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Jonatan Axelsson & Lars Rylander & Anna Rignell-Hydbom & Karl Ågren Silfver & Amelie Stenqvist & Aleksander Giwercman, 2013. "The Impact of Paternal and Maternal Smoking on Semen Quality of Adolescent Men," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(6), pages 1-8, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. María José Pino-Barrio & Elisa García-García & Pablo Menéndez & Alberto Martínez-Serrano, 2015. "V-Myc Immortalizes Human Neural Stem Cells in the Absence of Pluripotency-Associated Traits," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-13, March.
    2. Bo Wang & Chen Li & Jin Ming & Linlin Wu & Shicai Fang & Yi Huang & Lihui Lin & He Liu & Junqi Kuang & Chengchen Zhao & Xingnan Huang & Huijian Feng & Jing Guo & Xuejie Yang & Liman Guo & Xiaofei Zhan, 2023. "The NuRD complex cooperates with SALL4 to orchestrate reprogramming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Richard B. Scott & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Wise Ancestors, Good Ancestors: Why Mindfulness Matters in the Promotion of Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-14, October.
    4. D. Mark Anderson & Ryan Brown & Kerwin Kofi Charles & Daniel I. Rees, 2016. "The Effect of Occupational Licensing on Consumer Welfare: Early Midwifery Laws and Maternal Mortality," NBER Working Papers 22456, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Colin D Butler, 2019. "Philanthrocapitalism: Promoting Global Health but Failing Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, March.
    6. Xinhao Hou & Mingjing Xu & Chengming Zhu & Jianing Gao & Meili Li & Xiangyang Chen & Cheng Sun & Björn Nashan & Jianye Zang & Ying Zhou & Shouhong Guang & Xuezhu Feng, 2023. "Systematic characterization of chromodomain proteins reveals an H3K9me1/2 reader regulating aging in C. elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.
    7. van den Berg, Gerard J. & Pinger, Pia R., 2016. "Transgenerational effects of childhood conditions on third generation health and education outcomes," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 103-120.
    8. Alexander Foster & Jennifer Cole & Andrew Farlow & Ivica Petrikova, 2019. "Planetary Health Ethics: Beyond First Principles," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, February.
    9. Pudrovska, Tetyana & Carr, Deborah & McFarland, Michael & Collins, Caitlyn, 2013. "Higher-status occupations and breast cancer: A life-course stress approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 53-61.
    10. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & David L. Katz, 2019. "Preventive Medicine for Person, Place, and Planet: Revisiting the Concept of High-Level Wellness in the Planetary Health Paradigm," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    11. Gerd Toril Mørkve Knudsen & Shyamali Dharmage & Christer Janson & Michael J Abramson & Bryndís Benediktsdóttir & Andrei Malinovschi & Svein Magne Skulstad & Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen & Francisco Gomez , 2020. "Parents’ smoking onset before conception as related to body mass index and fat mass in adult offspring: Findings from the RHINESSA generation study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, July.
    12. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2020. "Project Earthrise: Inspiring Creativity, Kindness and Imagination in Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-23, September.
    13. Noa Deshe & Yifat Eliezer & Lihi Hoch & Eyal Itskovits & Eduard Bokman & Shachaf Ben-Ezra & Alon Zaslaver, 2023. "Inheritance of associative memories and acquired cellular changes in C. elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. D. Mark Anderson & Kerwin Kofi Charles & Daniel I. Rees, 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," NBER Working Papers 25027, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Charlene C. Nielsen & Carl G. Amrhein & Alvaro R. Osornio-Vargas, 2019. "Geographical Analysis of the Distribution of Publications Describing Spatial Associations among Outdoor Environmental Variables and Really Small Newborns in the USA and Canada," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-29, January.
    16. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2019. "Narrative Medicine Meets Planetary Health: Mindsets Matter in the Anthropocene," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, February.
    17. Alan C. Logan & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Earth Dreams: Reimagining ARPA for Health of People, Places and Planet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-15, December.
    18. Michelle McLean & Georgia Behrens & Hannah Chase & Omnia El Omrani & Finola Hackett & Karly Hampshire & Nuzhat Islam & Sarah Hsu & Natasha Sood, 2022. "The Medical Education Planetary Health Journey: Advancing the Agenda in the Health Professions Requires Eco-Ethical Leadership and Inclusive Collaboration," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, December.
    19. Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Planetary Health Requires Tapestry Thinking—Overcoming Silo Mentality," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-6, February.
    20. Jonathan D. Salk, 2019. "Planetary Health: A New Reality," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-7, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:9:y:2018:i:2:p:42-:d:189848. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.