Health Alert Atlanta: Smoking Before Fatherhood Harms Future Kids. Doctor Explains | State

Know this: “This research shows that a father’s smoking habits before conception may change the DNA of his future children! In this case, they found that smoking may increase their future children’s risk for asthma, obesity, and other health issues. The idea that the environment and external factors can harm our health needs to be better understood. Studies like this continue to highlight the advances that we’re making in epigenetics. The continued implications of this on our overall population health are going to be huge. On a more direct basis, I guide my patients to stop smoking. Research is showing that our bodies can start healing almost immediately. As such, social and dependent smoking needs to be put on the back burner–for good! Talk to your healthcare team about the many evidence-based ways in which we can help you on your journey of smoking cessation.” Dr. Shelandra Bell, Family Medicine.

Beyond the News: Research like this may lead to new public health guidelines advising men to quit smoking before conceiving.

New research suggests that boys who smoke in their early teens may be passing on harmful genetic traits to future children.

The study examined the genetic profiles of 875 offspring-parent pairs. Researchers found that people whose fathers were early teen smokers had gene markers associated with asthma, obesity, and low lung function.

The findings indicate that there may be a critical developmental window in early puberty when smoking may alter stem cells. This alteration may lead to epigenetic changes that get passed down to offspring.

Dig Deeper: What is Epigenetics? (CDC)