Early growth restriction, membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition, and insulin sensitivity

An animal model of protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation with subsequent dietary fatty acid manipulation was used to investigate the asso ciation between poor early growth, defective unsaturated fatty acid handlin g, and later disease. Both control and early growth-restricted animals fed a diet rich in saturated fatty acids showed a doubling of the plasma insuli n levels as well as a reduced degree of unsaturation in liver and skeletal muscle membrane phospholipids compared with animals fed diets rich in unsat urated fatty acids. The skeletal muscle of early growth-restricted animals weaned onto a saturated fat diet had reduced proportions of 22:6n-3 and inc reased proportions of 18:1n-9. This reduction in 22:6n-3 is similar to that observed in Pima Indians, a population with a high prevalence of type 2 di abetes. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.