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The effects of early high omega‐3 fatty acid (FA) feeding on the growth in adult rats
Author(s) -
Moghaddam Marjan,
Dowhan Lindsay,
Laja Faith,
Church Michael,
Jen KL C
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a582-c
Subject(s) - litter , medicine , weaning , zoology , weight gain , gestation , soybean oil , physiology , body weight , biology , endocrinology , pregnancy , ecology , genetics , pathology
Low birth‐weight and premature delivery are associated with increases in mortality and morbidities. ω‐3 FA have been shown to prolong the gestation period in humans. The long‐term effects of perinatal ω‐3 FA on growth has not been fully studied. In the present study, female Wistar rats were mated and fed one of three diets: control (CON, soybean oil, ω‐3/ω‐6 ratio ~ 0.14), high (HIGH, menhaden oil, ω‐3/ω‐6 ratio ~ 14.5) and low (LOW, safflower oil, ω‐3/ω‐6 ratio ~ 0). After delivery, litter size was culled to 8 pups. At day 21, pups were weaned and on day 24 all were put on a control diet. After weaning, a weight difference was noticed among the groups even though all were fed the same control diet. The HIGH group males gained weight at a significantly slower rate than the CON group until the age of 20 wks. The LOW group gained weight slower than CON group until 16 wks of age (weight at 19 wks: CON: 532 ± 36g; LOW: 521 ± 46; HIGH: 495 ± 42, p<0.01). All 3 male groups had similar food intake. The HIGH female pups did not catch up with the CON until 13 wks of age (BW at wk 12: CON: 255±17; LOW: 241±27; HIGH: 233±24, p<0.01). The HIGH females gained weight at a slower rate but consumed more food than other groups. These results show that perinatal high ω‐3 FA feeding impaired growth in adult rats without affecting food intake. Catch‐up growth is apparent in adulthood. Fetal programming may have played a role in these rats. Supported by a Gerber Foundation grant