Transcript What other non epigenetics evidence we already

Content
What other non epigenetics
evidence we already know?
Evidence on Health
•In 1962 Professor James Neel suggested 'thrifty genes
hypothesis‘ as the resolution to obesity problem.
•Thrifty genotype would have been advantageous for
hunters gatherers, it allowed them to fatten more quickly
during times of abundance. Fatter individuals carrying
the gene survived better in times of food scarcity.
•In modern societies with abundance of food, this
genotype efficiently prepares individuals for a famine
that never comes.
•Result of this mismatch between environment in which
we evolved & environment of today is a widespread
chronic obesity & diabetes.
David Barker obituary
Epidemiologist who proposed the idea
that common chronic diseases result
from poor nutrition in the womb
1938-2013
•He challenged in 1995 the idea that chronic
disorders are explained only by bad genes &
unhealthy adult lifestyles.
•His 'Barker hypothesis' or "foetal programming
hypothesis" proposed that the foetal environment &
early infant health permanently programme body's
metabolism & growth & thus determine pathologies of
old age.
•He believed that public health medicine was failing,
•Its cornerstone should be the protection of nutrition
of young women.
•“Human beings are like motor cars. They break
down either because of rough roads or because they
were badly made in the first place”.
•“Rolls-Royce cars do not break down no matter
where they are being driven”.
•“How do we build stronger people?
•By improving the nutrition of babies in the
womb.
•The greatest gift we could give the next
generation is to improve the nutrition & growth of
girls & young women."
2010
Inequality in early cognitive development of
children in the 1970 British Cohort Study, at ages
22 months to 10 years
IQ heritability 50-80%
Key messages from Marmot 2010 review
1. Social gradient on health inequalities is reflected in
the social gradient on educational attainment
2. Focusing solely on the most disadvantaged will
not reduce health inequalities sufficiently.
3. To reduce the steepness of the curve, actions must
be universal, but with ‘proportionate universalism’.
4. Actions by central & local government, NHS, third &
private sectors & community groups is required
Key Marmot recommendations
1. Give every child the best start in life
2. Increase investment in early years
3. Ensure high quality maternity services & parenting
programmes
4. Ensure high quality childcare & early year’s
education.
5. Build the resilience & well-being of young children
Evidence on Education
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation &
Development (OECD)
Centre for Educational Research & Innovation,
2006 report
• Considerable international evidence that education is
strongly linked to health & to determinants of health
such as health behaviours, risky contexts &
preventative service use.
• A substantial element of this effect is causal.
• Education does not act on health in isolation. Income
is another very important factor
• Empirical investigations often find that the effect of
education on health is as great as that of income.
The wellness impact: enhancing academic
success through healthy school environments
report
• It reinforces the crucial link between quality
nutrition, physical activity & academic
performance.
• Brain imaging shows improved cognitive function
in children & higher academic achievement after
just 20 minutes of physical activity
• Breakfast eaters have better attention & memory
than breakfast skippers
Health impact of education report,
Institute of PH in Ireland 2008
• Root causes of inequalities in education mirror those
of health
• Improving educational outcomes amongst the most
disadvantaged groups has the potential to make a
positive impact on health inequalities.
• Greater levels of education can lead to:
– Improved chances of finding secure, well paid
employment, with subsequent health benefits
– More opportunities for social development &
enhanced social skills, with
– Positive impacts on individuals & wider
community & subsequently for general health
– Developing knowledge, attitudes & behaviours
conducive to good health
• A key common feature in the Nordic area is the
respect accorded to & training required for those
working with children in schools & early years
• Case study from England showed clearly that staff
qualifications had a direct impact on children’s
outcomes.