Figure 1.

Deficiency of nutrients in utero, specifically proteins and choline lead to upregulation of DNMT3a and possibly 1, resulting in promoter methylation and suppression of PTEN, to varying degrees. This adapts the offspring to a nutritionally constrained post natal environment with efficient fat storage and reduced thermogenesis. If the birth environment continues to lack nutrition, the organism is well-adapted for survival, but in an obesogenic environment, would result in obesity, metabolic disorders, and cancer.