Body weight and brown fat activity in hyperphagic cafeteria-fed female rats and their offspring

Presenting pregnant rats with a varied choice of human food items (a cafeteria diet) caused a slight reduction in total protein intake and significant increases in energy intake (32%) and weight gain compared to pregnant females fed stock diet (controls). Cafeteria-fed mothers gave birth to the same number and weight of pups as controls, and these grew normally, but were fatter at weaning than control pups. Cafeteria-fed dams lost more weight than controls during lactation, in spite of sustained hyperphagia, and body fat and energy was the same as controls at 21 days post-partum. Brown adipose tissue protein content and thermogenic activity (assessed from mitochondrial purine nucleotide binding) were both elevated in cafeteria-fed mothers when compared to controls at 21 days post-partum, but brown fat activity in their offspring at weaning did not differ between treatments, although tissue protein content was depressed in the pups of cafeteria-fed dams.