Molecular Basis of Nutrition and Aging: A Volume in the Molecular Nutrition Series

External factors including diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposure to pollutants are linked to the onset of several diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. Particularly, early life exposure to environmental pollution plays a critical role in the development of age-related diseases because, during this period of life, epigenetic processes control the developmental programming and external factors can easily add new epigenetic marks that impact not only the offspring but also their next generations. Considering the daily exposure to xenobiotics through food or air, via solids and liquids that accidentally or deliberately come into contact with the skin, and through drinking water, the analysis of early biomarkers of damage represents a useful approach to evaluate exposure risk assessment and to monitor the early signs of developmental disease.