Body fat accumulation in the male offspring of rats fed high-fat diet

Body fat accumulation was studied in the male offspring of rats fed a high-fat or low-fat diet. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet or a low-fat (LF) diet were mated in the same diet group at age 13 weeks, and male pups (Ist generation) obtained were used in this experiment. The rats of the Ist generation were nurtured by their own mother rats (experiment 1) or by F344 foster mother rats (chow-fed) during the suckling period (experiment 2) or during both pregnancy and suckling period (experiment 3). After weaning, male offspring of rats fed the high HF diet (HF-parent rats) or the LF diet (LF-parent rats) were fed a HF diet or low LF diet (experiment 1), or a HF diet only (experiments 2, 3) for 12-17 weeks. Body weights and abdominal adipose tissue weights were greater for I-IF-parent offspring than for LF-parent offspring under controlled environmental backgrounds for the mother rats during pregnancy and the suckling period. The plasma leptin and insulin concentrations were higher in offspring of HF-parent rats. These results suggest that the effects of maternal I-IF diet feeding remain in male offspring even though environmental factors are controlled during pregnancy and the suckling period.