Summary
A study in Nature Human Behaviour finds that children born into poverty in the U.S. are significantly more likely to remain poor as adults compared to peers in Denmark, Germany, the U.K., or Australia.
While childhood factors like education and neighborhoods matter, the study identifies limited government support for adults as the key driver of poverty persistence in the U.S.
Unlike peer nations with robust tax-and-transfer systems, the U.S. provides fewer benefits to poor adults, perpetuating poverty.
Policy changes, such as expanded welfare programs, could significantly reduce intergenerational poverty.
Non-paywall link
I'd argue that the changes start way earlier, like before birth and during early life. Sadly even interventions aimed at pre-k are late in terms of minimizing impacts to deficits found in stressed children. Add to that the impact of stress on parent's gametes and there's the potential for issues even before conception.
Changes obviously happen much earlier.
Lifelong changes set in by 5 years old. Parents can win 100 million lottery the next day, shit is set
I'm thinking a Daily Show interview quoted it, and they just came back from winter break this week, so likely Monday's episode?
Quick edit:
But going along with what you're saying, extreme conditions can cause epigenetic changes that effect the next generation long before conception.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7514036/