The Unseen Impact – Could Adult Diseases Be Caused By Food And Chemicals Before Birth?
Alcohol, caffeine, soft boiled eggs, liver, raw meats and blue cheese: all foods pregnant women are advised to avoid because of potential risks to their unborn children. But what of foods women consume, or chemicals they come into contact with, that have a less immediate impact, where the damage might not become obvious until many years down the line? 300,000 women from across Europe are to take part in a project involving the Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics (LIGHT), to look at the ‘unseen’ effects of food and chemicals on the unborn child. The €15m NewGeneris study will look for changes to DNA and proteins, which are signs of an increased risk of cancer or immune disorders such as eczema or asthma in later life. Women and their newborn children from Denmark, Norway, Greece and Spain as well as 10,000 women from Bradford will be taking part. The aim of the five-year project is to come up with more effective food regulations and clear public health messages about wh
