Mothers who consume a poor diet through pregnancy risk leaving
their children less able to store fats correctly in later life,
leading to a higher risk of diabetes, according to new research
in rats. The animal study – published in the journal Cell Death
and Differentiation – reports new insights into why nutrition
during early development in the womb permanently influences
later health. They noted that whilst it is well understood that
poor maternal diet can increase the later risk of type 2
diabetes and coronary heart disease – but the molecular
mechanisms underlying such effects are poorly defined. Willis
and her team have now found such a mechanism – revealing that
the processes involved in fat distribution and storage are
controlled by a molecule called miR-483-3p. They found that
miR-483-3p was produced at higher levels in individuals who had
experienced a poor diet in their mother's wombs than those who
were better nourished – leading to the development of smaller
fat cells that left offspring less abl