Effects of Nannochloropsis Fed on Serum and Tissue Lipids Metabolism in Obese Offspring of Overfed Dams

Background: The present work aims at determining the effects of maternal-diet-induced obesity on offspring metabolism. The short-term of a marine microalgae diet and its effects on lipids metabolism was investigated. Method: Before gestation, some rats are fed control diet and others cafeteria diet. Moreover, two groups of dams were fed standard and cafeteria diets, and two other groups were fed the same diets but containing 10% of microalgae. This feeding started at gestation, and continued throughout parturition, lactation until their offspring's weaning age. Results: Cafeteria diet was shown to increase the body weight and visceral obesity, with aberration in lipid metabolism. The results obtained show that the microalgae diet supplement induces a significant decrease in the maternal body weight and relative adipose tissue weight, plasma glucose and lipid levels, liver-triglyceride (TG) and adipose tissue-TG at parturition and at the end of lactation. Also, the addition of the microalgae in both males and female offspring fed dams at birth and weaning showed significant decrease in body weight, liver-TG whereas significant increase in TG-HDL. Conclusion: In the end, it was noted that the incorporation of 10% of microalgae has a beneficial effect on body weight and lipid metabolism.