Does maternal dietary mineral restriction per se predispose the offspring to insulin resistance?
GROUND: Maternal undernutrition is hypothesized to predispose the offspring to disease in adult life. The relevance of maternal macronutrient deficiency has been well studied but not that of micronutrients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of maternal dietary mineral restriction per se on oral glucose tolerance (OGT), insulin resistance (IR) and fat metabolism in offspring. DESIGN: Female weanling Wistar/NIN rats received a control or a 50% mineral-restricted (MR) diet for 12 weeks, by which time MR rats had lower plasma Fe, Zn, Mg and Ca concentrations. Following mating with control males, a third of the MR dams were shifted to the control diet from parturition. Half of the pups born to the remaining MR dams were weaned onto the control diet while the other half continued on the MR diet. RESULTS: Pregnant MR dams had a higher abortion rate, body weights of their pups at birth and weaning were lower and rehabilitation had no beneficial effect. No offspring had impaired OGT, and IR statu
