Metabolic programming: Role of nutrition in the immediate postnatal life

Abstract

Although genes and dietary habits are generally implicated in the aetiology of the prevailing obesity epidemic, the steep increase in the incidence of obesity within a relatively short span of time suggests that other contributing factors may be at play. The role of nutritional experience during the very early periods of life is increasingly being recognized as contributing to growth and metabolic changes in later life. Epidemiological data and studies from animal models have established a strong correlation between an aberrant intrauterine environment and adult-onset disorders in offspring. The nutritional experience in the immediate postnatal life is another independent factor contributing to the development of metabolic diseases in adulthood. Although studies on the small-litter rat model have shown that overnourishment during the suckling period results in adult-onset metabolic disorders, our studies have shown that a change in the quality of calories-specifically, increased carbohydrate intake by newborn rat pups in the immediate postnatal period-results in chronic hyperinsulinaemia and adult-onset obesity. Several functional alterations in islets and in the hypothalamic energy homeostatic mechanism appear to support this phenotype. Remarkably, female rats that underwent the high-carbohydrate dietary modification as neonates spontaneously transmitted the obesity phenotype to their offspring, thus establishing a vicious generational effect. The high-carbohydrate diet-fed rat model has particular relevance in the context of the current human infant feeding practices: reduction in breast feeding and increase in formula feeding for infants, accompanied by early introduction of carbohydrate-enriched baby foods.

Etiology of Food Addiction

“…[15] Aslında obezite ve etiyolojisi, yeme bağımlılığı tanımının ötesinde genetik, davranışsal ve çevresel faktörlerin bir arada etkili olduğu bir durum olarak tanımlamak şimdilik daha doğru görünmektedir. [16] …”

Early leptin blockade predisposes fat-fed rats to overweight and modifies hypothalamic microRNAs

“…We have recently shown that blocking leptin action using a leptin antagonist predisposed newborn rats to body weight gain and leptin resistance at adulthood (Attig et al 2008). Consequently, all events that affect leptin action during this developmental period such as inappropriate diet of dams during pregnancy (high caloric diet or energy restriction) impair hypothalamic neuronal projections and promote later in life metabolic and endocrine disorders (Kirk et al 2009, Patel et al 2009). …”

Treadmill walking differently affects body composition and metabolic parameters of female rats from normal or small litters

“…Disturbances in the hypothalamic circuitry controlling feeding behavior and body weight management during this critical period of development are involved (11,13,23,38,45,50). Surprisingly, the sedentary female rats from the small litters (group SS) did not show body weight significantly different from that of the controls (group CS) at the age of 120 days.…”

“…The nutritional experiences at early life lead to the changes of growth and metabolism in later stages. The research demonstrates that the development of adipose cellularity at this early stage can determine the body composition of the adult and thus the appearance and aggravation of obesity-related diseases (6,14,23,35,37,38,42,45).…”

“…It is based on the modification of the post-natal nutritional environment (i.e., changing the number of pups per litter during lactation) as a mean of "programming" the central control of appetite and energy balance, resulting in the obese phenotype of the adult animal (6,35,38,41,42). Common findings in small litters are greater body weight gain, increased levels of insulin and corticosterone, greater fat deposition, and hyperphagia (25,41,42).…”