Impact of high-fat diet and obesity on energy balance and fuel utilization during the metabolic challenge of lactation - PubMed (original) (raw)

Impact of high-fat diet and obesity on energy balance and fuel utilization during the metabolic challenge of lactation

Jessica L Wahlig et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2012 Jan.

Abstract

The effects of obesity and a high-fat (HF) diet on whole body and tissue-specific metabolism of lactating dams and their offspring were examined in C57/B6 mice. Female mice were fed low-fat (LF) or HF diets before and throughout pregnancy and lactation. HF-fed mice were segregated into lean (HF-Ln) and obese (HF-Ob) groups before pregnancy by their weight gain response. Compared to LF-Ln dams, HF-Ln, and HF-Ob dams exhibited a greater positive energy balance (EB) and increased dietary fat retention in peripheral tissues (P < 0.05). HF-Ob dams had greater dietary fat retention in liver and adipose compared to HF-Ln dams (P < 0.05). De novo synthesized fat was decreased in tissues and milk from HF-fed dams compared to LF-Ln dams (P < 0.05). However, less dietary and de novo synthesized fat was found in the HF-Ob mammary glands compared to HF-Ln (P < 0.05). Obesity was associated with reduced milk triglycerides relative to lean controls (P < 0.05). Compared to HF diet alone obesity has additional adverse affects, impairing both lipid metabolism as well as milk fat production. Growth rates of LF-Ln litters were lower than HF-Ln and HF-Ob litters (P < 0.05). Total energy expenditure (TEE) of HF-Ob litters was reduced relative to HF-Ln litters, whereas their respiratory exchange ratios (RERs) were increased (P < 0.05). Collectively these data show that consumption of a HF diet significantly affects maternal and neonatal metabolism and that maternal obesity can independently alter these responses.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

Experimental design for feeding paradigm and dual-tracer study. The overall study design and feeding paradigm are shown in a. In addition, a timeline for mating, pregnancy, and lactation are included. The dual-tracer study is depicted in b where a metabolic monitoring chamber was used to assess the fuel utilization and lipid trafficking of exogenous fat in lactating mice.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Maternal energetics and activity. Cumulative energy intake (EI), energy balance, and activity were measured over the 24-h study and expressed as means ± s.e. Bars with a single asterisk are significantly different from low-fat lean dam (LF-Ln) controls and bars with a double asterisk are significantly different from high-fat lean dam (HF-Ln) controls (P < 0.05). (a) Cumulative energy intake was measured every 3 h over a 24-h period and expressed in kcal. (b) Energy balance showed as the difference between total energy expenditure (TEE) and total energy intake (EI) over 24-h and expressed as kcal/day (†LF-Ln vs. HF-Ln or HF-Ob, P < 0.05). (c) Adjusted total energy expenditure was examined by analysis of covariance, using lean mass as the covariate and expressed as kcal/24 h. (d) 24-h activity was measured using infrared laser beams. Each beam break was considered one activity count.

Figure 3

Figure 3

Maternal whole body fuel utilization and dietary fat oxidation. The oxidation of dietary fat and whole body fuel utilization measured during dark and light cycles are expressed as means ± s.e. Bars with a single asterisk are significantly different from low-fat lean dam (LF-Ln) controls and bars with a double asterisk are significantly different from high-fat lean dam (HF-Ln) controls (P < 0.05). (a) Respiratory exchange ratio (RER; CO2/O2) derived from indirect calorimetry measurements. (b) Oxidation of dietary fat was assessed by measuring 14C-CO2 in expired air over 4.5 min at each time point.

Figure 4

Figure 4

Analysis of litter energy expenditure and fuel utilization. All values are expressed as a mean ± s.e. Bars with a single asterisk are significantly different from low-fat lean dam (LF-Ln) controls and bars with a double asterisk are significantly different from high-fat lean dam (HF-Ln) controls (P < 0.05). (a) Growth curve of litters normalized to five pups over the first 10 days of lactation. (b) Daily litter weight change of litters normalized to five pups between days L2 to L3, L5 to L6, and L9 to L10. (c) Litter body composition on the study day depicted as total body weight (BW), fat-free mass (FFM), and fat mass (FM). (d) Total energy expenditure (Raw) expressed over the 24 h as kcal/day; total energy expenditure (adjusted) was examined by analysis of covariance, using lean mass as the covariate. (e) Respiratory exchange ratio (RER; CO2/O2) derived from indirect calorimetry measurements is expressed during the dark and light cycle. (f) Oxidation of dietary fat was assessed by measuring 14C-CO2 in expired air over 4.5 min at each time point during the light and dark cycle.

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