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Kudos to Dr. Zhen Yan: Exercise During Pregnancy Can Prevent Transmission of Metabolic Diseases

March 12, 2021 by zrb8mf@virginia.edu

Zhen Yan, Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine and Pharmacology, is a top exercise expert at the University of Virginia. Dr. Yan and his team found in a recent study in lab mice that maternal exercise during pregnancy prevented the transmission of metabolic diseases from an obese parent to the child. If the finding holds true in humans, it will have “huge implications” for helping pregnant women ensure their children live the healthiest lives possible. For the full story visit MedicalXpress .

The researchers have published their findings in the Journal of Applied Physiology. The study’s authors were Rhianna C. Laker, Ali Altıntaş, Travis S. Lillard, Mei Zhang, Jessica J. Connelly, Olivia L. Sabik, Suna Onengut, Stephen S. Rich, Charles R. Farber, Romain Barrès and Yan.

The Pharmacology department would like to thank you, Dr. Yan, for providing exciting and convincing new evidence that perhaps a prescription of exercise may prevent a vicious cycle of passing chronic diseases onto human offspring. What a huge game changer in fighting to end a pandemic of a plethora of these diseases. Especially, those of which you have found promising evidence that we can manipulate the outcome of epigenetic changes to prevent obesity and improve long-term metabolic health! Way to go, Zhen!