Nutritional imbalances during pregnancy, increased risk of fetal fatty liver disease
Jul 11, 2025
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The present study observed 16 weeks of offspring born from a parent exposed to 50% dietary restrictions and 45% high-fat diets in rats during pregnancy, with greater metabolic abnormalities in male offspring.
Although the weight change was not significant, the blood triglyceride and leptin levels of male offspring increased significantly compared to the control group, and it was confirmed that this change was closely related to the decrease in the Lachnospiraceae family, a butyrate-producing intestinal beneficial bacterium.
What is noteworthy in the study is that these metabolic changes were different according to gender. In male offspring, blood butyrate concentrations decreased with a decrease in butyrate-producing bacteria, which led to increased lipid production in the liver and oxidative damage. On the other hand, these changes were relatively small in female offspring.
The research team explained that "butyrate is an important short-chain fatty acid that regulates the energy and lipid metabolism of the host" and that "the nutritional imbalance of the parent during pregnancy alters the intestinal microbial ecosystem of the offspring, thereby reducing butyrate production, which leads to liver fat accumulation and metabolic disorders.'
The present study suggests that both undernourishment and overnourishment during pregnancy can negatively affect the health of offspring, especially when undernourishment is more severe.
The researchers observed that despite eating a normal diet after birth, the effects of maternal diet persisted during pregnancy. This shows that proper nutrition management is important during pregnancy."
The results of this study are expected to provide an important scientific basis for developing nutritional counseling and management guidelines for pregnant women. The research team will verify clinical applicability through further research on humans in the future.
Meanwhile, the study was published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research and was conducted with the support of the Korea Research Foundation and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
