Maternal Diglyceride Diet Attenuates Selected Metabolic Effects of Maternal High‐Fat Feeding in Offspring via Energy Metabolism and Microbiota Modulation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Diglyceride (DAG) has been shown to improve obesity in animals, but its effects on mothers and offspring were unclear. This study investigated whether maternal DAG intake affects male offspring by mating female C57BL/6J mice on a DAG diet with normal males. Male offspring were weaned at 3 weeks, with some euthanized and others fed normal, high‐fat (HFD), or DAG diets for 9 weeks. Results showed that offspring from DAG‐fed mothers had lower blood lipids than those from HFD‐fed mothers, and maternal DAG intake was associated with restoration of purine/pyrimidine metabolism while altering gut microbiota (lower Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, higher butyrate). Fecal transplants confirmed DAG partially reversed HFD‐induced gut dysbiosis. Although DAG mitigated maternal obesity effects, post‐weaning diet had a stronger influence, suggesting DAG oil may help prevent intergenerational obesity transmission.