DNA May Carry a Memory of Your Living Conditions From Childhood 252
An anonymous reader writes "Canadian and British scientists have found that how rich your family was when you were a kid — as judged by wealth, housing conditions and occupation of parents — has a huge impact on your current DNA. 'This is the first time we've been able to make the link between the economics of early life and the biochemistry of DNA,' says Moshe Szyf, professor of pharmacology at McGill University. The study did not show whether the DNA changes identified are passed on to offspring, but if so, repeat cycles of poverty could be putting poor children at a serious disadvantage for heart disease, diabetes and lung disorders."
Re:So...what's the answer? (Score:5, Insightful)
Everyone can't be rich, but with a little work, everyone could not be poor.
Re:So...what's the answer? (Score:5, Insightful)
I think you're confusing nature with modern society.
Re:So...what's the answer? (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't think so....think of the individual, each person is blessed with gifts...mental, physical strength, height, eyesight.
Not everyone starts on the same 'playing ground' even at the most basic of things in life.
I mean, hell...no matter how hard I tried, even if from birth, there is no way I'd have made it as an athlete in the NBA, or ever got close to that caliber.
That that's not even taking into consideration people born crippled or retarded.....nature really started them with a disadvantage that has nothing to do with modern society. Hell, before modern society in primitive cultures, people with deformities likely were left out to die quickly.
Re:So...what's the answer? (Score:4, Insightful)
With appropriate measures, the minimum standard of living can be made good enough to not result in a permanent health effect.
The haves will always write off disparity of wealth as "oh well, just one of those things" right up until the poor start camping in their front yard.