Abstract
Ong, Zhi
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Science, University of South Australia
'Junk-food' diets during pregnancy increase the infant's preference for fatty foods
High-fat, high-sugar foods can activate the reward centre in the brain to release the 'feel good' chemical, dopamine, in a similar way to addictive drugs. High intake of junk-food (high-fat, high-sugar foods) over long periods can also result in people becoming dependent or addicted to 'junk-food'. Maternal intake of high-fat foods during pregnancy increases the risk of their infants being obese later in life, but it is unclear why this occurs. In our research, we aim to determine whether feeding mothers a 'junk-food' diet during pregnancy can alter the development of the reward circuitry in their offspring before birth, and whether this makes them more likely to consume junk-food and develop junk-food addiction after birth.
In this study, we found that rat pups born to mothers that were fed on a junk-food diet during pregnancy and lactation consumed more fatty foods than pups born to control mothers. This preference for fatty foods is likely due to these pups having higher levels of µ-opioid receptor, a component of the reward circuitry implicated in the 'liking' of foods. Dopamine levels were higher at weaning in pups of junk-food mothers compared to controls, suggesting to us that changes within the reward circuitry may have occurred before birth.
This study has provided important new insights into the effects of maternal junk-food feeding on the offspring. Results from this research will improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind maternal and offspring obesity and provide further evidence for promoting healthy eating recommendations for pregnant women.