The global epidemic of obesity is an important public health issue. There is evidence, mostly from animal studies, that nutritional interventions in early life can result in a reduced risk for obesity and metabolic disease in later life. Epigenetic modifications are suggested to play a role in this.
We have undertaken a study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on DNA methylation profiles and obesity development in a large child cohort.
In a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial (DOMInO trial) pregnant mothers consumed DHA-rich fish oil (800 mg/d) or control vegetable oil from 20 wks gestation to birth. Blood spots from the newborns at birth (n=1000) and blood at age 5 yrs (n=700) were collected and BMI at 5 yrs was determined. Global DNA methylation will be measured in all children at birth and at 5 yrs. Genome-wide DNA methylation data (Illumina 450k array) for a subset of sixty 5 yr old children will be collected. The genome-wide analysis will later be expanded to all children; their DNA samples will be divided over 102 pools, and the effect of DHA supplementation on DNA methylation levels and the association with childhood obesity will be investigated.