Effects of high fat, protein supplemented diets on maternal behavior in rats

Female albino rats were maintained on either chow, a 25% fat, protein supplemented diet or a 45% fat, protein supplemented diet during breeding, gestation and lactation. Maternal behavior was assessed using observational techniques. Maternal bodyweight of the females on the high fat diets was not different from females on chow. Reproductive success, as indicated by pregnancy and pup survival, was reduced in the females on the 45% fat diet. However, unlike offspring of obese dams, pup growth was enhanced in most of the offspring of the dams on the high fat, protein supplemented diets. The dams on these diets showed more postural nursing, less non-postural nursing, more pup grooming and were observed more frequently with a majority of their pups. These dietary differences in maternal behavior did not appear to be necessarily due to differences in the body weight of the pups.