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Background: Early-life nutrition has a programming effect on later metabolic health; however, the impact of exposure to a high-protein (HP) diet is still being investigated.

Objective: This study evaluated the consequences on pup phenotype of an HP diet during gestation and lactation and after weaning.

Methods: Wistar rat dams were separated into 2 groups fed an HP (55% protein) or normal protein (NP) (control; 20% protein) isocaloric diet during gestation, and each group subsequently was separated into 2 subgroups that were fed an HP or NP diet during lactation. After weaning, male and female pups from each mother subgroup were separated into 2 groups that were fed either an NP or HP diet until they were 6 wk old. Measurements included weight, food intake, body composition, blood glucose, insulin, glucagon, leptin, insulin-like growth factor I, and lipids.

Results: Feeding mothers the HP diet during gestation …