Nutrition in early life has permanent consequences affecting development and later-life health. In this study we investigated the potential of monosaccharides in the post-weaning diet to program adult metabolic health. Female and male C57BL/6JRccHsd mice were time-mated and fed a low-fat diet ad libitum. Litters were culled to six pups per nest and randomly assigned to foster dams. Mice were weaned onto one of three experimental diets containing 32 energy% as glucose (GLU), fructose (FRU) or an equimolar mixture of glucose and galactose (GAL). At six weeks of age, all mice received the same high-fat diet (HFD). Food intake, body weight, and body composition were measured biweekly. Whole-body metabolism was analysed towards the end of the post-weaning diet and during the last stretch of the high-fat feeding period in GLU and FRU mice. Additionally, an oral glucose tolerance test and a fasting-refeeding challenge as an indicator of metabolic flexibility were performed. At the end of the post-weaning intervention period, no significant differences were found in body weight or lean mass across all dietary groups, and in 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate oxidation between GLU and FRU. At week 15, cumulative food intake, body weight, and fat mass were significantly lower in GAL females compared to GLU females. Glucose tolerance in all groups, and energy expenditure, fuel utilization, and metabolic flexibility between GLU and FRU did not reveal programmed differences in metabolic phenotype. None of the parameters studied indicated long-lasting effects in males. This study provides evidence of the potential of galactose in the post-weaning diet to program a reduction in food intake resulting in lower fat mass during adulthood. Our findings highlight the relevance of carbohydrates as a dietary intervention target for future clinical studies in the field of metabolic programming.
Acknowledgements: Financially supported by NWO-Applied and Technical Sciences grant 13509
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