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A Calcium-Deficient Diet in Rat Dams during Gestation Decreases HOMA-β% in 3 Generations of Offspring

Background: Prenatal malnutrition can affect the phenotype of offspring by altering epigenetic regulation. Calcium (Ca) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance syndrome. Aims: We hypothesized that a Ca-deficient diet during pregnancy would alter insulin resistance and secretion in more than 1 generation of offspring. Methods: Female Wistar rats consumed either a Ca-deficient or a control diet ad libitum from 3 weeks before conception to 21 days after parturition and were mated with control males. Randomly selected F1 and F2 females were mated with males of each generation on postnatal day 70. The F1 and F2 dams were fed a control diet ad libitum during pregnancy and lactation. All offspring were fed a control diet starting at the time of weaning and were sacrificed on day 180. Results: HOMA-β% decreased in F1 through F3, and levels in F2 and F3 males and females were significantly lower than in controls. The mean levels of insulin and HOMA-IR were higher in F1 males but lower in F3 males than in control males. The HOMA-IR did not differ between any of the female offspring and controls. Conclusions: Maternal Ca restriction during pregnancy and/or lactation influences insulin secretion in 3 generations of offspring.