Epigenetic modification through diet

Germ cells carry the epigenetic benefits of grandmother's diet

Craig Cooney

PNAS published online November 13, 2006

This is a commentary of a paper in PNAS about how mice fed differently (with methyl) during pregnancy can have offspring and grandoffspring with different coat color. "They find that this effect is inherited by the next generation, presumably through germ-line modifications during grandmaternal supplementation."
Then, from the last paragraph:
"In humans, the possibility even the likelihood, that grandmaternal diets contributed to the incidence of obesity and diabetes in the current generation and that today's dietary habits will have effects for generations to come make the work of Cropley et al. especially important."

Cropley JE, Suter CM, Beckman KB, Martin DIK (2006) PNAS USA 103:17308-17312