title: The young Göttingen minipig as a model of childhood and adolescent obesity: influence of diet and gender.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gender and sex hormones influence the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome in humans and Göttingen minipigs. The aim of this study was to investigate possible gender differences in the metabolic response to a high energy diet in young Göttingen minipigs as a model of childhood/adolescent obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine-week-old male and female Göttingen minipigs were fed restrictedly on either a low energy diet (LED) or a high energy diet (HED) for 4 months (n = 5-7). Parameters of interest were fat percentage, visceral fat mass, plasma lipids and glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and β-cell function measured by oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 11 to 12 weeks of age, after 2 weeks diet feeding, both genders on HED had increased fat percentage, glucose intolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, and increased plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (TGs). There was no gender difference in body weight (BW) or fat percentage, but males had lower glucose tolerance than females. After 3.5 to 4 months on the diets, the pigs on HED had increased BW, fat percentage, and visceral fat mass and were more glucose intolerant and insulin resistant than pigs on LED. Also increases in plasma cholesterol and TG levels were observed in the pigs on HED. Females had higher fat percentage and more visceral fat, were more insulin resistant, and had a more unfavorable lipid profile compared with males independent of diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the young Göttingen minipig, and especially the female gender, seems to be a potential model for diet induced childhood/adolescent obesity and metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Unit, Novo Nordisk A/S, Måløv, Denmark. BQC@novonordisk.com
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christoffersen
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Golozoubova
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pacini
authors.forename: Ove
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Svendsen
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raun
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol