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The Effect of Maternal Body Condition Score Before and During Pregnancy on the Glucose Tolerance of Adult Sheep Offspring

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Abstract

This study investigates the effects of diet-induced changes in maternal body condition on glucose tolerance in sheep. Welsh Mountain ewes were established, by dietary manipulation, at a body condition score of 2 (lower body condition [LBCS], n = 17) or >3 (higher body condition [HBCS], n = 19) prior to and during pregnancy. Birth weight and postnatal growth were similar in LBCS and HBCS offspring. In young adulthood, LBCS offspring had increased fasting glucose levels (3.8 ± 0.07 vs 3.6 ± 0.05 mM, P < .05), poorer glucose tolerance (2274 ± 22.6 vs 2161 ± 33 min/mM, P < .01), and reduced insulin secretion (0.58 ± 0.05 vs 0.71 ± 0.07 nM/min, P = .07). Increased fasting glycemia, mild glucose intolerance, and impaired initial insulin secretory response, as observed in LBCS offspring, are indictors of increased diabetes risk in humans. These findings suggest that altered maternal body composition and an imbalance between the fetal and postnatal environment influence offspring glucose tolerance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Addenbrookes Hospital, University of Cambridge, Box 232, Level 4, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QR, UK

    Roselle L. Cripps PhD, Malgorzata S. Martin-Gronert BSc, Melanie Monk, C. N. Hales PhD & Susan E. Ozanne PhD

  2. Institute of Developmental Sciences, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK

    Lucy R. Green PhD & Mark A. Hanson DPhil

  3. The Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, UK

    John Thompson HND & I. Martin Sheldon PhD

Authors
  1. Roselle L. Cripps PhD
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  2. Lucy R. Green PhD
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  3. John Thompson HND
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  4. Malgorzata S. Martin-Gronert BSc
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  5. Melanie Monk
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  6. I. Martin Sheldon PhD
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  7. Mark A. Hanson DPhil
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  8. C. N. Hales PhD
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  9. Susan E. Ozanne PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roselle L. Cripps PhD.

Additional information

deceased

This work was supported by the National Institute of Health (AG20608) and the British Heart Foundation (F3/03/085/15929 and BS/04/001). The authors acknowledge the Biological Services Unit, Royal Veterinary College, for the routine animal care and Graham Cockrill and Keith Burling for their help with the plasma analysis.

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Cripps, R.L., Green, L.R., Thompson, J. et al. The Effect of Maternal Body Condition Score Before and During Pregnancy on the Glucose Tolerance of Adult Sheep Offspring. Reprod. Sci. 15, 448–456 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719107312161

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719107312161

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