A healthy diet and active lifestyle may benefit pregnant mothers and their children, as shown in the intergenerational impact of maternal nutrition and lifestyle before and during pregnancy on fetal growth and offspring health. However, the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. Homing in on this, our centre’s research led by Director and Prof Zhang Cuilin, in collaboration with investigators from the National Institutes of Health, USA, has been investigating longitudinal physical activity status and nutrition before and throughout pregnancy with placental DNA methylation and fetal growth.
