Persistence of metabolic consequences in the progeny of rats fed a HC formula in their early postnatal life

Abstract

First-generation (1-) male and female rat pups were either reared artificially on a high-carbohydrate (HC) or a high-fat (HF) formula or nursed by mother (MF) from day 4 and weaned onto a stock diet on day 24. 1-HC rats compared with sex-matched control rats (1-HF and 1-MF) were hyperinsulinemic and mildly obese by day 60. We investigated the effect of maternal hyperinsulinemia on the second generation (2-) by intragroup breeding. The 2-HC male and female rats were hyperinsulinemic on day 45, had significantly increased growth rate from approximately day 60 onward, and became obese as evidenced by increased adipose tissue mass due to hypertrophy on day 100. The lipogenic capacity of liver and adipose tissues was significantly higher in the 2-HC than in control rats. Thus the metabolic changes that occurred in the first-generation rats fed a HC formula during early postnatal life not only persisted into their adult life but were also passed on to the next generation.