Volume 88, Issue 3, September (2002), pp. 301-306 © The Author 2002
doi:10.1079/BJN2002660

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Energy metabolism of young rats after early postnatal overnutrition

Petra Wiedmer, Sylvia Ortmann, Susanne Klaus
Department of Biochemistry and Physiology of Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DlfE) 14558 Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany

 (Received 12 October 2001–Revised 2 April 2002–Accepted 9 May 2002)

Early postnatal overnutrition (PNO) induced by restricting litter size in rats leads to increased body-weight (BW) and body-fat gain in later life. PNO rats are used as an animal model of moderate obesity and early hyperinsulinism. We investigated whether the increased adiposity could be due to a decreased energy expenditure. Male newborn Wistar rats were raised in litters of either two (SL) or twelve pups (NL), weaned at 4 weeks of age and subsequently fed ad libitum. BW was recorded continuously until 12 weeks of age. Daily energy intake, total daily energy expenditure (EE, measured by indirect calorimetry) and body composition were measured in weaned pups at 5, 8 and 12 weeks of age. SL rats displayed increased BW compared with NL rats from week 2 to 5 and again from week 10 to 12. Lean body mass, body fat and protein content and total EE were increased in SL rats at week 5. The same linear correlation described the relationship between BW and total EE in NL and SL rats. At week 8 to 12 no differences in energy metabolism could be found, but the total fat content was increased in SL rats at week 12. Energy balance, i.e. assimilated energy minus EE, was no different between SL and NL at any time that it was measured. We conclude that although PNO rats display increased adiposity in early life, there seem to be no long-lasting effects on energy metabolism in later life, even if a tendency to increased adiposity can still be detected.

Keywords:
Obesity: Energy expenditure: Small litters: Body composition