The type of diet consumed during prepuberty modulates plasma cholesterol, hepatic LXRα expression, and DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation during adulthood in male rats.

ABSTRACT: Childhood obesity increases the risk of developing metabolic diseases in adulthood, since environmental stimuli during critical windows of development can impact on adult metabolic health. Studies demonstrating the effect of prepubertal diet on adult metabolic disease risk are still limited. We hypothesized that a prepubertal control diet (CD) protects the adult metabolic phenotype from diet-induced obesity (DIO), while a high-fat diet (HFD) would predispose to adult metabolic alterations. Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed either a CD or a HFD during the prepubertal period (day 30-40 of age) and subsequently a chronic HFD or CD, respectively, until adulthood (day 220 of age). As controls, rats aged 30 days were exclusively fed a CD or a HFD until adulthood. Body weight and composition, met

SUBMITTER: Aguilar-Lozano A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11761095 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature