Funding outcome

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, and pregnant women are the most vulnerable subgroup; S0-80% of women in developing countries, and 17-30% in developed countries (23% in Canada) develop iron deficiency anemia at some point during pregnancy. Our lab has previously shown that offspring that were iron-deficient throughout gestation exhibit altered growth patterns before and after birth. Interestingly, despite complete recovery from iron deficiency early in life, these offspring become prone to obesity and other health problems as they age. By virtue of its tendency to afflict pregnant women and its ability to cause long-term metabolic health complications in the offspring, iron deficiency may be an important contributor to the global health burden of obesity. As such, understanding how iron deficiency affects growth and development of fetus, and devising intervention strategies early in development, has enormous potential to reduce the global health burden of chronic diseases for future generations. Our work focuses on understanding how iron deficiency during pregnancy affects body composition in the offspring. Specifically, Stephana's project focuses on brown fat as a cause and potential therapeutic target for the 'programming' of obesity by iron deficiency during pregnancy. In the last few years, the importance of brown fat in preventing obesity has been recognized. Brown fat is highly metabolically active, and has the capacity to 'burn off' tremendous amounts of energy as heat; it is estimated that as little as 60g of brown fat could have a dramatic impact on metabolism (and hence susceptibility to obesity). The objective of this study is to determine whether offspring that were anemic in gestation exhibit reduced amount and/or metabolic activity of brown fat, which in turn increases the susceptibility to excess weight gain. Upon confirmation of this altered metabolic phenotype, we will consolidate our findings with investigation into altered adipose tissue vasculature and blood flow. Thus, this research has translational potential and may impact the lives of a large number of individuals predisposed to eventual obesity.