Maternal Nutrition, Type 2 Diabetes and Epigenetics

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a multifactorial disease with numerous pathways. Large body of evidence has shown that nutritional status and dietary patterns have deterministic effects on the development of type 2 diabetes. Recently, epigenetic mechanisms that occur through the interaction between nutrition and environmental factors are also shown to be associated with type 2 diabetes. The basis of epigenetic modifications is determined during fetal life, largely. Evidence suggests that maternal nutrition may play crucial role on these processes. Both maternal under nutrition in starvation cohorts and obesity in gestational diabetes or over nutrition have been related with different effects on next generation’s gene expressions that are associated with diabetes. Understanding the epigenetic mechanisms that underlie the interactions between nutrition and molecular events will significantly contribute to prevention, treatment and retardation of complications in type 2 diabetes. Currently, monitoring nutrition, body weight and prevention or treatment strategies in gestational diabetes during pre-gestation, gestation and post-gestation periods are efficient interventions for regulating epigenetic mechanisms.