New study shows unborn babies could be harmed by GM food

[philb]

GM: New study shows unborn babies could be harmed by genetically modified soy products

Mortality rate for new-born rats six times higher when mother was fed on a diet of modified soya
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor
Published: 08 January 2006

Women who eat GM foods while pregnant risk endangering their unborn babies, startling new research suggests.
The study - carried out by a leading scientist at the Russian Academy of Sciences - found that more than half of the offspring of rats fed on modified soya died in the first three weeks of life, six times as many as those born to mothers with normal diets.
Six times as many were also severely underweight.
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article337253.ece

[philb]

1. Babies also harmed by Dads past (toxic related) sins

Men inherit hidden cost of dad's vices
• 06 January 2006 • Rowan Hooper • Magazine issue 2533

Nutrition and smoking in early life may influence the health of men's sons and grandsons, a new study reveals
THE sins of the fathers are, indeed, visited on subsequent generations. Nutrition and smoking in early life may influence the health of men's sons and grandsons, a new study has revealed.
These striking inherited effects are thought to be due to subtle chemical changes to DNA known as "epigenetic" modifications (see "Mapping the epigenome"). And they could have big implications for public health: the behaviour of today's children, for example, may be stacking up problems for future generations.

Marcus Pembrey, a clinical geneticist at University College London, and colleagues at Umeå University in Sweden, have two lines of evidence for health effects being passed down the male line.
First, the researchers analysed the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a survey of British couples who had babies in the early 1990s. More than 5000 fathers in the survey were or had been smokers. Of these men, 166 started ...
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925334.000;jsessionid=HGOOAKOKHODG

[mom cat]

3. I hope this leads to more research on GM foods before all soya

is contaminated.

[Angry Girl]

5. The soy you eat in the U.S. is 85% GM

In 2004, the percentage of U.S. soybeans planted in genetically engineered varieties again grew, accounting for 85 percent of all soy planted.

http://pewagbiotech.org/resources/factsheets/display.php3?FactsheetID=2

And another reference:
GM soy in US not considered food grade

The crop changed dramatically in 1996 when U.S. farmers began planting Roundup Ready beans. Now, 86 percent of U.S. soybeans are genetically modified. Eight to 9 percent are food-grade soybeans and 5 percent to 6 percent are feed and seed.

If any more GMO soybeans are grown, the United States will be out of the food-grade market, Golbitz said, and may have to import to meet U.S. consumer demand.

http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2381

[Crowdance]

2. Weird header

What is it with the "unborn" description, when the study was of BORN rats? I think the headline is weird, apparently written to appeal to those fanatics who think about the "unborn." That is such a strange term--reminds me of the undead. Unborn, is that like "once was born, but no longer born?" That would = dead, and I reckon one should no longer be worried about them.

In truth, the horror of GM foods should be enough without resort to the sensational headline.

[philb]

4. The harm takes place to the fetus before birth; but it affects

the baby after birth also. Same for the rats.
Most such studies deal with prenatal effects of toxic exposures- though the effects last throughout life.