Acute changes to breast milk composition following consumption of high-fat and high-sugar meals.

Breast milk composition is influenced by habitual diet, yet little is known about the short-term effects of changes in maternal diet on breast milk macronutrient concentrations. Our aim was to determine the acute effect of increased consumption of sugar/fat on breast milk protein, lactose and lipids. Exclusively breastfeeding women (n = 9) were provided with a control, higher fat (+28 g fat) and higher sugar (+66 g sugar) diet over three separate days at least 1 week apart.

Omega-6:Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio and Total Fat Content of the Maternal Diet Alter Offspring Growth and Fat Deposition in the Rat.

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) have been shown to inhibit lipogenesis and adipogenesis in adult rats. Their possible early life effects on offspring fat deposition, however, remain to be established. To investigate this, female Wistar rats ( = 6-9 per group) were fed either a 9:1 ratio of linoleic acid (LA) to alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or a lower 1:1.

The effect of maternal dietary fat content and -6:-3 ratio on offspring growth and hepatic gene expression in the rat.

n-6 Fatty acids have been shown to exert pro-adipogenic effects, whereas n-3 fatty acids work in opposition. Increasing intakes of linoleic acid (LA; n-6) v. α-linolenic acid (ALA; n-3) in Western diets has led to the hypothesis that consumption of this diet during pregnancy may be contributing to adverse offspring health.

Expression of cholesterol packaging and transport genes in human and rat placenta: impact of obesity and a high-fat diet.

Evidence suggests that sub-optimal maternal nutrition has implications for the developing offspring. We have previously shown that exposure to a low-protein diet during gestation was associated with upregulation of genes associated with cholesterol transport and packaging within the placenta. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of altering maternal dietary linoleic acid (LA; omega-6) to alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; omega-6) ratios as well as total fat content on placental expression of genes associated with cholesterol transport.

The impact of exposure to cafeteria diet during pregnancy or lactation on offspring growth and adiposity before weaning.

Exposure to maternal obesity during early-life can have adverse consequences for offspring growth and adiposity. We aimed to assess the relative contributions of exposure to maternal obesity, induced by a highly varied cafeteria diet, during pregnancy and lactation on these measures in rat offspring prior to weaning. Female Wistar rats were fed either a control (C) or cafeteria diet (O) for 8 weeks before mating, throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Exposure to maternal obesity during suckling outweighs in utero exposure in programming for post-weaning adiposity and insulin resistance in rats.

Exposure to maternal obesity during early development programmes adverse metabolic health in rodent offspring. We assessed the relative contributions of obesity during pregnancy and suckling on metabolic health post-weaning. Wistar rat offspring exposed to control (C) or cafeteria diet (O) during pregnancy were cross-fostered to dams on the same (CC, OO) or alternate diet during suckling (CO, OC) and weaned onto standard chow.

Maternal dietary ratio of linoleic acid to alpha-linolenic acid during pregnancy has sex-specific effects on placental and fetal weights in the rat.

Background: Increased consumption of linoleic acid (LA, omega-6) in Western diets coupled with the pro-inflammatory and adipogenic properties of its derivatives has led to suggestions that fetal exposure to this dietary pattern could be contributing to the intergenerational cycle of obesity.

Method: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal consumption of a LA to alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) ratio similar to modern Western diets (9:1) compared to a lower ratio (1:1.5) on placental and fetal growth, and to determine any cumulative effects by feeding both diets at two total fat levels (18% vs 36% fat w/w).

Acetylsalicylic acid interferes with embryonic kidney growth and development by a prostaglandin-independent mechanism.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of the non-selective, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), on embryonic kidney growth and development.

Methods: Pairs of fetal mouse kidneys at embryonic day 12.5 were cultured in increasing concentrations of ASA (0.

The Effects of Prenatal Protein Restriction on β-Adrenergic Signalling of the Adult Rat Heart during Ischaemia Reperfusion.

A maternal low-protein diet (MLP) fed during pregnancy leads to hypertension in adult rat offspring. Hypertension is a major risk factor for ischaemic heart disease. This study examined the capacity of hearts from MLP-exposed offspring to recover from myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) and related this to cardiac expression of β-adrenergic receptors (β-AR) and their associated G proteins.

Sex differences in sensitivity to beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol in the isolated adult rat heart following prenatal protein restriction.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of CVD. Epidemiological studies have shown that low birth weight increases the risk of developing hypertension in adulthood. Hypertension increases the risk of suffering IHD and early findings provide evidence that hearts from prenatally protein-restricted, hypertensive, male offspring are more susceptible to cardiac dysfunction following ischaemic events.

Prenatal diet determines susceptibility to cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion injury following treatment with diethylmaleic acid and N-acetylcysteine.

Fetal undernutrition programmes increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adult life. We hypothesized that prenatal protein restriction would impair recovery in post-ischaemic cardiac function in adult offspring through antioxidant-mediated processes. Pregnant Wistar rats were fed control or maternal low protein diets (MLP) throughout gestation.

Fetal exposure to a maternal low-protein diet is associated with altered left ventricular pressure response to ischaemia-reperfusion injury.

Rats exposed to protein restriction as fetuses develop hypertension as adults. Hypertension increases the risk of myocardial ischaemia and infarction. We investigated whether rats exposed to low-protein diets in utero are more susceptible to myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury.