Is There a Link Between Asthma and Smoking from Grandmothers?

   There is growing evidence of a link between asthma and smoking in previous generations. The Centers for Disease Control have stated that asthma affects 8% of adults and 9.3% of children in the US. Researchers believe it was changes in the environment that was to blame, but they are now looking at grandmothers. A study has been going on, in Sweden, which is gathering evidence directly from grandmothers at the time they were pregnant. This study surveyed 44,853 grandmothers listed between 1982-1986 and found that 66,271 grandchildren had asthma medication. The results of the study showed that the risk of asthma increased 10-22% in children if their grandmothers smoked during pregnancy. Environmental exposures, like tobacco, can affect the activity of genes known as "epigenetic modification." These changes can be passed down to subsequent generations or remain dormant till a further generation. Dr. Caroline Lodge, one of the authors of the study, says, " We found that smoking in previous generations can influence the risk of asthma in subsequent generations. This may also be important in the transmission of other exposures and diseases." Dr. Lodge believes that smoking in previous generations not only increases the risk of asthma, but many other diseases as well.
   This article is interesting because a friend of mine has asthma, and it is really surprising to know if your grandmother had smoked during pregnancy, then there is a chance you will get asthma. My friend was shocked when he read this article, although his family doesn't smoke, but he still found it shocking when he read it. This article got me thinking about factors that can increase the risk of diseases.
Link for article here