Abnormally high nourishment during sensitive periods results in body weight changes across generations.
OBJECTIVE
This study asked whether a brief period of overnutrition during a developmentally sensitive time could impact the individual's adult weight and that of succeeding generations.


METHODS
Female rat pups (F1 generation) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) a control group that was naturally reared by mothers; (2) another control group implanted with chronic gastric fistulas on postnatal day 4 and fed enough formula to match the growth of the mother-reared group; and (3) an experimental group gastrostomized and infused from day 8 through day 16 with a greater quantity of food than gastrostomy-reared controls (OF). On postnatal day 16, both gastrostomy-reared groups were returned to normal litters. Adult F1 females from overfed and mother-reared groups were bred with normal males to yield an F2 generation. F2 adult females were bred to normal males to produce an F3 generation.


RESULTS
When adult, the F1 experimental group was heavier than control groups. F2 adults from OF mothers were smaller than those from the control group. F3 animals from OF grandmothers were heavier at weaning than F3 descendants from mother-reared animals.


CONCLUSIONS
Excess nourishment during a developmentally sensitive period changed the metabolic phenotype of one generation so dramatically that the gestational development and subsequent phenotype of two succeeding generations were also changed. The experiment models fetal effects of gestational diabetes in humans and may help to elucidate how, independent of genetic anomalies, secular changes can be detected across generations.
Diaz
J
J
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Taylor
E M
EM
D000375:Aging; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated; D005747:Gastric Fistula; D005774:Gastrostomy; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans