The epidemic of chronic disease and understanding epigenetics | Kent Thornburg | TEDxPortland

When will we decide to conquer chronic disease? The moment we realize the future’s not only in our genes but also in our hands with the choices we make regarding food and nutrition. We now know how we grow before we are born, matters. A woman who is pregnant with a daughter is nourishing the egg that may someday become her grandchild. We must remove the vulnerability for developing chronic disease before it starts. Through the right choices in Family, School, Workplace & Policy - we can position humanity towards a sustainable, more livable answer.

Dr. Kent L. Thornburg received his PhD in Developmental Physiology and studied Cardiovascular Physiology as a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Postdoctoral Fellow at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). He participates in co-funded projects with scientists in England, New Zealand, France, Finland and Australia. He serves regularly on advisory panels at the NIH, the American Heart Association and the Children’s Heart Foundation and recently served as Co-Chair of the task force to determine the 10-year vision of the developmental origins of health and disease for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx