Omega-6:Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio and Total Fat Content of the Maternal Diet Alter Offspring Growth and Fat Deposition in the Rat

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) have been shown to inhibit lipogenesis and adipogenesis in adult rats. Their possible early life effects on offspring fat deposition, however, remain to be established. To investigate this, female Wistar rats (n = 6–9 per group) were fed either a 9:1 ratio of linoleic acid (LA) to alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or a lower 1:1.5 ratio during pregnancy and lactation. Each ratio was fed at two...