Nutritional programming of the metabolic syndrome
Michael E Symonds1, Sylvain P Sebert, Melanie A Hyatt
1Early Life Nutrition Research Unit, Academic Child Health, Division of Human Development, School of Clinical Sciences, University Hospital, Nottingham, UK. michael.symonds@nottingham.ac.uk
Nature Reviews. Endocrinology
|September 30, 2009
Summary
Maternal nutrition during pregnancy influences offspring
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Metabolic syndrome research
- Epigenetics and nutrition
Background:
- Metabolic syndrome is characterized by central obesity, insulin resistance, and hypertension.
- Fetal development is sensitive to maternal nutrition, influencing long-term health.
- Developmental plasticity allows fetuses to adapt to nutritional challenges, impacting future metabolic health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of maternal nutrition during critical fetal development periods on metabolic syndrome predisposition.
- To explore the mechanisms, including epigenetic modifications, linking fetal adaptations to metabolic syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological and animal studies.
- Analysis of research on fetal adaptations to maternal nutritional status.
- Investigation of epigenetic mechanisms in metabolic programming.
Main Results:
- Nutritional challenges in utero can lead to adaptations in fetal energy homeostasis.
- Reduced maternal nutrition can alter adipose tissue development, increasing adipocyte precursor cells.
- These fetal adaptations may manifest as metabolic syndrome components later in life, especially with postnatal overgrowth or obesity.
Conclusions:
- Maternal nutrition during gestation plays a crucial role in fetal programming of metabolic syndrome.
- Epigenetic modifications are likely involved in the long-term resetting of cellular energy homeostasis.
- Postnatal growth and obesity are critical factors in the manifestation of metabolic syndrome from fetal adaptations.
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