Evaluation of body development, fat mass and lipid profile in rats fed with high-PUFA and -MUFA diets, after neonatal malnutrition

Neonatal malnutrition is associated with several features of the metabolic syndrome, later in life. Although the recovery of malnutrition was studied with different high-fat diets, few studies compare the effects of enriched vegetable oil diets, containing PUFA and MUFA, after weaning. Our aim was to evaluate the recovery with soya oil- or rapeseed oil-enriched diet, after malnutrition in rats whose mothers were food restricted (FR) during lactation. Dams were 50% FR and compared to standard diet-fed dams (control, C). At 21 d, FR offspring had a lower body mass and length. After weaning C and FR offspring were fed a diet containing 7% soya oil (7%sC and 7%sFR), or supplemented with 19% soya oil (19%sC or 19%sFR) or 19% rapeseed oil (19%cC or 19%cFR). The normal animals fed enriched vegetable oil diets had more visceral fat mass, but lower serum TAG and higher HDL-cholesterol. The 19%FR groups showed significantly less food intake and body development compared to the 7%sFR, and the same pattern was observed when this group was compared to the C groups. Absolute and relative mass of vital organs and body were lower in the FR groups. Visceral fat depot was lower in 19%FR than 7%FR and C groups. Serum glucose, albumin, TAG, cholesterol, leptin and triiodothyronine did not show significant changes. However, 19%FR groups showed higher HDL-cholesterol and the 19%sFR group showed lower serum thyroxine. The data suggest that a higher vegetable oil diet in the recovery of neonatal malnutrition ameliorates some features of the metabolic syndrome later in life.