Grant: Operating Grant

Obesity is highly prevalent among Canadian women. Obesity can lead to gestational diabetes as well as other complications during pregnancy. Maternal obesity also increases the risk of obesity in the child. Thus, it is essential to help women achieve a high level of health prior to conception. Modification to diet is a valuable intervention strategy for improving maternal metabolism and body weight. Research has shown that dietary fiber can help with weight and specifically body fat loss. Sitagliptin, a novel anti-diabetic drug, improves glucose control without promoting weight gain. Sitagliptin helps preserve levels of a specific hormone in the body that controls appetite and blood glucose called GLP-1. We thus propose to use a combination therapy of dietary fiber with sitagliptin to treat obesity in female rats in the period just prior to pregnancy. In addition to examining this combination of diet and drug therapy we will also determine whether altering the profile of bacteria in the intestine can help with weight control. We will enhance healthy bacterial levels with probiotics and selectively remove bacteria with an antibiotic. These studies will help us determine how bacteria in the intestine help dietary fiber improve metabolism and health. Ultimately this work has the future potential to improve the health of expectant mothers and their children in Canada.