What is it about?
High intake of salt or fructose characterises a modern, westernised diet. Here, using an animal model we show that high intake of each by pregnant rat dams may render their offspring with high blood pressure (through high maternal salt intake) and with elevated cardiovascular sensitivity (with to much fructose intake). This is despite the offspring not EVER consuming ANY salt or fructose.
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Why is it important?
In order to be confident in our results, we used the most robust techniques; radiotelemetry for cardiovascular data, purified diets for the nutritional paradigm, novel circadian analyses using complex statistical techniques (Fourier equations and random effects models). We also conducted the study as a semi-randomised block design - making sure that the effects were repeatable. The study has good statistical power and satisfies all criteria establsihed within the ARRIVE guidelines for conduct and reporting of animal trials.
Perspectives
The study is unique in that it is the first time an interaction between maternal salt and fructose intake has been assessed in terms of offspring health. We take this further by examining offspring cardiovascular responses to a variety of circulatory challenges to reveal marked-sex-specific and dietary effects. The study emphasizes the importance of quality rather than quantity when assessing maternal diet, particularly in terms of its mineral and simple sugar content and the importance of studying outcomes in both sexes as it is clear that what is observed in one (e.g. males) will not necessarily be observed in the other (e.g. a female sibling).
Professor David S Gardner
University of Nottingham
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Excess Maternal Salt Intake Produces Sex-Specific Hypertension in Offspring: Putative Roles for Kidney and Gastrointestinal Sodium Handling, PLoS ONE, August 2013, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072682.
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