Abstract
To investigate the influence of fat-feeding dams on the food choice of their pups after weaning, each three groups of dams were fed a low-fat diet (LFD), a control diet (CTD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) with added lard during pregnancy and lactation. Immediately after weaning, all pups were placed on a two-choice diet program of the LFD and the HFD for 5 weeks. No significant differences in body weight and energy intake were observed between these three groups of dams and their pups. Within first week after weaning, all pups ate a large amount of the HFD and the ratio of HFD intake (HFD intake/total intake) in three groups of pups were 85-90%. Although after week two after weaning, the HFD intake in pups nursed by dams fed the LFD and the HFD was about 85% (fat energy ratio, F ratio: 38%) and 90-95% (F ratio: 39-40%), respectively, that in pups nursed by dams fed the CTD decreased 60-65% (F ratio: 31%). Plasma triglyceride concentration in dams fed CTD and their 5 week-old pups was lower than that in the other two groups. These data lead us to conclude that if dams ate diet containing inadequate amount of fat, their pups would be deprived of their ability to eat adequately after weaning.
