Silent Inheritance: Evaluating the Transgenerational Effects of Epigenetic Modifications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.3375Abstract
This study investigates how combined environmental factors, pollution, diet, and chronic stress, affect transgenerational epigenetic changes and disease susceptibility in the Southeastern United States. Using correlational analysis of recent peer-reviewed data, variables for each factor and their associated disease and death rates were examined through Pearson’s correlation and linear regression. Results showed pollution had a weak negative correlation with disease rates, while stress and diet displayed weak to moderate positive correlations. When analyzed together, all three factors exhibited a weak positive association with disease risk (r = 0.003) but negative correlations with mortality, likely due to medical advances. Chronic stress showed the strongest relationship with epigenetic vulnerability. These findings underscore the need for multi-factor epigenetic research and comprehensive public health interventions addressing pollution, nutrition, and chronic stress to reduce inherited disease risk and promote healthier future generations.
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