Pieter Vancamp, a young INRAE researcher, presents his project

Parental nutrition shapes the in utero development of children’s brains

Contemporary diets, particularly those high in sugar and fats or low in proteins, during the first 1,000 days of life—from conception to age 2—can have lasting effects on long-term health. Epidemiological data, such as observations of individuals born to malnourished mothers or those with excessive caloric intake, and experimental research demonstrate that inadequate diets during pregnancy can predispose individuals to metabolic issues later in life, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. This understanding has transformed the way we think about these conditions: they are not solely the result of overeating or lack of exercise— the root of the problem may already lay in the womb. Basically, if parents eat poorly, they might pass down a higher risk of metabolic issues to their kids. This concept, known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), was introduced in the 1980s by English physician Dr. David Barker, who studied individuals born during famine periods. Recent evidence shows that this concept extends beyond maternal nutrition, as fathers can also contribute to the transmission of metabolic risks.

Today, there is increasing focus on the impact of Western diets, which are low in essential nutrients (amino acids, vitamins, etc.) but high in fats and sugars (“empty calories”), on young men and women of reproductive age and, by extension, their children. A significant societal issue is the rising prevalence of obesity, especially among children and adolescents. For example, in France, obesity rates have gone up from 2.1% to 9.2% among 18-24-year-olds and from 5.5% to 13.8% among 25-34-year-olds between 1997 and 2020. Medical interventions like weight-loss drugs or bariatric surgery carry risks and yield mixed results, while educational campaigns on diet and exercise often have shown limited success on the long-term. This isn’t surprising—our brains are biologically wired to seek out calorie-dense, tasty foods, often unconsciously, making it difficult to rely solely on “willpower” to lose weight. Research suggests that how our brains manage appetite and weight was partly set during fetal development, perpetuating a cycle that is challenging to break.

Simultaneously, there is a growing trend toward plant-based diets, such as vegetarianism and veganism, partly driven by environmental concerns and efforts to mitigate climate change. While these diets are generally healthful, less diverse variants can lead to deficiencies in critical nutrients, such as essential amino acids, needed to meet the increased requirements of a developing baby. To date, we lack sufficient understanding of how certain restrictive plant-based diets affect fetal development, particularly brain development. This lack of consensus is also reflected in divergent dietary recommendations across countries.

Current strategies to combat metabolic diseases in adults have shown limited success. So why not address the problem earlier? By improving nutrition during pregnancy, we might be able to prevent these problems from developing in the first place. The brain’s control over appetite and energy use is mostly shaped before birth, so there’s a critical window of opportunity to intervene. Once this window closes, tackling these problems becomes much more challenging. This approach emphasizes enhancing parental health before and during pregnancy, which could break the cycle of passing down metabolic risks to the future generation.

Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and INRAE already consider parental health and perinatal nutrition as top priorities. However, to make tangible progress, we need more research to understand the precise impacts of inadequate or unbalanced diets on fetal brain development. At what point and under what conditions do disruptions in the construction of the brain's network regulating food intake and energy expenditure originate? Which nutrients are critical at specific stages of development? Can targeted nutritional interventions reverse or prevent these issues? By addressing these questions, we can develop evidence-based nutritional strategies to protect future generations and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future.

Thanks to my expertise in fetal brain development and advanced research techniques, I am eager to tackle these challenges. As a junior research scientist at INRAE in the PhAN unit, which has been committed to DOHaD research for over 20 years, I am excited to be able to advance this essential research. Together, we can innovate to safeguard the health of future generations.