How Early Overfeeding Affects Rats
Postnatal early overfeeding induces hypothalamic higher SOCS3 expression and lower STAT3 activity in adult rats.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
HDL-C goes from higher to LOWER in adulthood
Most people associate being heavier with having worse cholesterol at all ages. This shows the relationship is more complex - early overfeeding actually leads to lower 'good cholesterol' in adulthood despite higher levels in infancy.
Practical Takeaways
Be cautious about overfeeding infants - this study suggests early nutrition can have lasting effects
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
HDL-C goes from higher to LOWER in adulthood
Most people associate being heavier with having worse cholesterol at all ages. This shows the relationship is more complex - early overfeeding actually leads to lower 'good cholesterol' in adulthood despite higher levels in infancy.
Practical Takeaways
Be cautious about overfeeding infants - this study suggests early nutrition can have lasting effects
Publication
Journal
The Journal of nutritional biochemistry
Year
2011
Authors
A. L. Rodrigues, E. D. de Moura, M. Passos, I. Trevenzoli, E. D. da Conceição, Isabela Teixeira Bonono, J. F. N. Neto, P. Lisboa
Related Content
Claims (6)
When baby rats are given too much food right after birth, they develop a problem when they grow up where their brains don't respond properly to leptin, a hormone that controls hunger. This is shown by higher levels of one protein (SOCS3) and lower activity of two other proteins (JAK2 and p-STAT3) in the part of the brain that manages hunger signals.
When baby rats are given too much food right after birth, they actually have higher 'good cholesterol' when they're young, but as adults (around 6 months), they end up with lower 'good cholesterol' levels compared to normally fed rats.
Baby rats that are overfed after birth by being in small litters grow up to have more body fat and weigh more than rats from normal-sized litters, both as young pups and as adults
Feeding baby rats too much food right after birth makes them have higher levels of certain hormones and sugar in their blood when they're just 3 weeks old.
If baby rats eat too much right after birth, they won't develop diabetes when they grow up, even though they have high blood sugar as babies.