Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

Event 1: In Newfoundland and Labrador, it is estimated that one quarter of preschool children are overweight or obese. Several studies on obesity in children show an association between excessive body fat and risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased incidence of asthma and increased risk of Type 2 diabeties (a disease that until recently was only diagnosed in adults). Obese children are also more likely to experience psychological problems and lower levels of income and educational attainment in the future. There are many factors that are both associated with and predictive of obesity, including genetics, individual lifestyle choices and community structure. This Café Scientifique will discuss the genetic basis of childhood obesity, the link between breastfeeding and obesity, and the types of activities that promote active lifestyles as a way of combatting childhood obesity. Event 2: Recent epidemiological studies have suggested that the diet of the mother during pregnancy and lactation can have a major impact on the health of the offspring later in life. In one animal based study at Memorial, mothers were given a diet high in saturated fat that reflected the typical North American diet. The offspring of those mothers had high cholesterol, lipid and triglyceride levels in their blood, even after a healthy diet during their lives. The research also showed that certain genes that control those parameters were changed in the offspring. This Café Scientifique will delve into the connection between maternal diet and heart disease, diabetes and obesity in offspring. Understanding the contributing factors to these diseases can help researchers, clinicians and the general public work towards prevention.