Exposure to passive smoke can alter children`s genes: Study
A second-hand or passive exposure to cigarette smoke could change how children`s genes express themselves, similar to that in active smokers, thereby making them more vulnerable to disease as adults, according to a study.
The findings, published in the journal Environment International, highlighted why children`s exposure to second-hand smoke needs to be reduced.
"Our study shows that second-hand smoke during childhood leaves its mark at the molecular level and can alter the expression of genes that influence disease susceptibility in adulthood", first author Marta Cosin-Tomàs, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), said.
While genes in one`s DNA act as an instruction manual for the body, environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke, can affect `gene expre...
