I had a little trouble figuring out correct forum to place this topic so it goes here in "Rant and Raves" because it is a bit of a rave.

My MIL was an RN before retirement and likes to keep up on medical studies. She and I were talking about (WLS (VSG) last night and she said WLS (VSG) changes the DNA.

My first response was "what....?" and then " how is this possible?"

She explained that there was a medical study done in Iceland where they said WLS (VSG) changes the genetic coding in a person's DNA such that the genes responsible for a predisposition of obesity are no longer present in future generations (read: children).

Wow, that is powerful!

Effectively it means you can expect to have beautiful and athletic children if WLS (VSG) does the same for you. All the genetic precursors like ineffective BMR are effectively reprogrammed.

Now I am wondering if the results of this medical study also apply to alcohol, drugs and other addictive predispositions that are passed through DNA.

What about when a child inherits a trait from grandparents? Like, my son is a redhead but neither me or my husband is but my grandmother and MIL is. If obesity runs in the family, your child could still be predisposed to being overweight, yeah?

That has to do with recessive and dominant genes--if your son is a redhead, that means you and your husband both have a recessive redhead gene (your presenting hair color is a big R for dominant, and the redhead gene is recessive, with a little r, which makes you and your husband Rr's--so the haircolor you have such as brown overrides the recessive gene...but your little r and your husband's little r can get together to make your little redhead--rr).

What I think FM is referring to here is when there is damage (or his MIL is theorizing an "improvement" to...but I've been unable to find even broad studies on this) to the DNA during someone's lifetime. It's very much unknown if that damaged DNA can be passed on, but it is a theory. The long-held theory is that the DNA resets when procreating and the DNA actually isn't passed on, but the recent research is beginning to challenge that and now more research is needed (and we are probably talking many, many decades before anything definitive is known).

That has to do with recessive and dominant genes--if your son is a redhead' date=' that means you and your husband both have a recessive redhead gene (your presenting hair color is a big R for dominant, and the redhead gene is recessive, with a little r, which makes you and your husband Rr's--so the haircolor you have such as brown overrides the recessive gene...but your little r and your husband's little r can get together to make your little redhead--rr).

What I think FM is referring to here is when there is damage (or his MIL is theorizing an "improvement" to...but I've been unable to find even broad studies on this) to the DNA during someone's lifetime. It's very much unknown if that damaged DNA can be passed on, but it is a theory. The long-held theory is that the DNA resets when procreating and the DNA actually isn't passed on, but the recent research is beginning to challenge that and now more research is needed (and we are probably talking many, many decades before anything definitive is known).[/quote']

Argh... I many thoughts and big words for a Saturday morning!!

I had to read this 3 times!

We should change your name to "megamind"

On that note my son was born with blond hair and blue eyes??? Didn't even think he was mine!

Still think my husband may have cheated on me!

On that note my son was born with blond hair and blue eyes??? Didn't even think he was mine!

Still think my husband may have cheated on me!

haha!

One thing I think we can def say about VSG, and this would be true whether someone has it pre- or post-kids--the lifestyle of eating less food and more healthful food plus being more active is a great example for any kids (and often, spouses/partners). Being healthy is contagious! Really goes back to the nature vs nurture issue. And even if kids don't have a weight problem when young, sometimes when they are older and less active, the eating and other lifestyle habits they learn as kids can come back to haunt them. So I think that a lot of parents set a great example by having VSG and changing their lifestyles for the better!

Well **** now another thing for them to be pissed off at me with!

If they ever get fat it will be my fault!!

Although my 16 year is very fast to say she would never let herself look like me <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

I remember saying that when I was about 16. Now when I look in the mirror, it is my mom looking back! Horror of all horrors!!!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Very interesting study

Very interesting to research this topic. This reminds me that everytime we procreate we are witnessing evolution in action.