Maternal obesity and increased nutrient intake before and during gestation in the ewe results in altered growth, adiposity, and glucose tolerance in adult offspring1

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of preconception and gestational obesity in the ewe on offspring growth, metabolism, and glucose homeostasis. From 60 d before conception through parturition, multiparous ewes were fed 100% (control; n = 8) or 150% (obese, OB; n = 10) of NRC (1985) recommendations. Ewes on the OB diet increased BW by 30% from diet initiation to mating (P = 0.03) and by 52% by d 135 of gestation (P = 0.04), whereas control ewes increased BW by 7% (P = 0.65) from diet initiation to d 135 of gestation. Lambs were weaned at 120 d of age and were maintained as a group. At 19.5 ± 0.5 mo of age, offspring from control and OB ewes were individually penned and subjected to a 12-wk ad libitum feeding challenge. At the beginning and end of the feeding challenge, dual x-ray absorptiometry was used to determine percentage of body fat, and a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) with minimal model analysis was used to assess insulin and glucose homeostasis. At the beginning of the feeding challenge, BW and percentage of body fat were similar for control and OB offspring, averaging 69.0 ± 1.5 kg and 5.3 ± 0.5%, respectively. At the initial FSIGT, glucose effectiveness and insulin sensitivity were reduced (P < 0.05) in offspring from OB compared with control ewes. During the feeding challenge, plasma concentrations of leptin were increased (P < 0.05) in offspring from OB compared with control ewes. Fasted plasma glucose before the feeding challenge tended to be greater (P = 0.06) in the OB offspring compared with the control offspring (83.3 ± 1.4 vs. 79.0 ± 1.6 mg/dL, respectively). At the end of the feeding challenge, fasted plasma glucose and insulin were increased (P < 0.05) in the OB offspring compared with the control offspring (84.0 ± 1.4 vs. 79.5 ± 1.5 mg/dL and 30.1 ± 2.1 vs. 23.4 ± 2.2 µIU/mL, respectively). During the feeding challenge, offspring from OB ewes consumed approximately 10% more feed (P < 0.05) and tended to have increased BW gain (approximately 14%; P = 0.08) compared with offspring from control ewes. At the final dual x-ray absorptiometry scan, percentage of body fat was greater (P < 0.05) for offspring from OB ewes than for offspring from control ewes (16.5 ± 1.2 vs. 10.8 ± 1.1%). At the final FSIGT, offspring from OB ewes had a decreased (P ≤ 0.05) acute insulin response to glucose, disposition index, and glucose effectiveness, and tended (P = 0.10) to have a decreased insulin sensitivity compared with offspring from control ewes. Maternal obesity induced before and during gestation leads to alterations in appetite, glucose and insulin regulation, and adiposity of mature offspring.

Maternal backfat depth in gestating sows has a greater influence on offspring growth and carcass lean yield than maternal feed allocation during gestation

“…Interestingly, in the current study Fat gilts had a 25% increase in milk fat at day 21 of lactation than Thin gilts (Amdi et al, 2013), which may have contributed to the increased piglet weight gain. In agreement with our results, Long et al (2010), found that offspring born from obese ewes, consumed 10% more feed than offspring born from control ewes when the offspring where ad libitum fed over a 12-week period from 19.5 ± 0.5 months of age. Recent studies have addressed the issue that perhaps maternal body composition by itself is a programming agent for growth of the offspring.…”

Epigenetics and developmental programming of welfare and production traits in farm animals

“…In longer-term studies, following early gestation maternal food restriction, Sebert et al (2009) reported no effect on appetite in obese 1-year-old offspring, but George et al (2012) reported increased appetite drive in obese female 6-year-old offspring. Conversely, Long et al (2010a) reported increased appetite at 19 months of age in the offspring of overnourished obese mothers.…”

“…Hence, undernutrition during pregnancy in pigs is associated with increased adiposity of progeny in later life, but the sensitive time for the effect is still unclear. There is also one cattle study (Long et al 2010a) suggesting that overnutrition throughout gestation results in increased adiposity in older offspring (at 22 vs 19 months). Cattle studies by Micke et al (2010aMicke et al ( , 2011aMicke et al ( , 2011b show that the maternal diet during the first and second trimesters alters growth and carcass development, including fat deposition, from weaning through to slaughter at 22 months of age in a sex-specific manner.…”

Hypothalamic expression of genes for appetite regulators and estrogen α, estrogen β and leptin receptors in obese dams and their fetuses

“…Because of the nondiscreet timing of the maternal over-nutrition reported by Long et al (2010), it is not known whether early or late gestational nutrition excess contributed to the increased appetite. Muhlhausler et al (2006) reported that in sheep, over-nutrition during late gestation resulted in increased milk intake and subcutaneous fat accumulation accompanied by an unpredicted increased expression of POMC, but not CART mRNA at 30 days postnatally.…”