PERSISTENCE OF METABOLIC CONSEQUENCES IN THE PROGENY OF RATS FED A HCFORMULA IN THEIR EARLY POSTNATAL LIFE

First-generation (1-) male and female rat pups were either reared arti ficially on a high-carbohydrate (HC) or a high-fat (HF) formula or nur sed 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 effec t of maternal hyperinsulinemia on the second generation (2-) by intrag roup breeding. The 2-HC male and female rats were hyperinsulinemic on day 45, had significantly increased growth rate from similar to day 60 onward, and became obese as evidenced by increased adipose tissue mas s due to hypertrophy on day 100. The lipogenic capacity of liver and a dipose tissues was significantly higher in the 2-HC than in control ra ts. Thus the metabolic changes that occurred in the first-generation r ats fed a HC formula during early postnatal life not only persisted in to their adult life but were also passed on to the next generation.