When can diet influence gene functions, creating a positive or negative impact on health?

• A. Only during adulthood.
• B. Only during childhood.
• C. During pregnancy and prenatal development, early childhood, puberty, and old age.
• D. Never.

Answer: (C)

Nutrition can influence how our genes are expressed through epigenetic and metabolic pathways, and this can happen at several key stages of life. During pregnancy and prenatal development, the mother’s diet can shape fetal gene expression by altering DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks, impacting organ development and long-term health. In early childhood, rapid growth and development mean that nutrients strongly influence gene activity related to metabolism, immunity, and growth. Puberty brings hormonal shifts that interact with nutrient signals to regulate gene expression tied to growth and reproductive maturation, so adequate or specific nutrient intake can affect how genes function during this period. In older age, gene regulation changes again with aging, and nutrition can modulate these processes, affecting healthspan and disease risk.

Choosing only adulthood or only childhood misses these broader windows where diet can modulate gene function, and never is not accurate because there is clear evidence of diet-linked gene regulation across these stages.