Early development of body-weight regulation systems in the nonhuman primate in utero effects of high-fat diet

Childhood obesity is increasing, and early metabolic disruption may permanently alter development and long‑term health. Using a nonhuman primate model, this dissertation first defined the normal developmental timeline of feeding‑related hypothalamic and midbrain circuits. It then examined how chronic maternal consumption of a high‑fat diet affects fetal neurocircuitry involved in body‑weight regulation. Findings show that maternal high‑fat intake alters the development of key hypothalamic peptides and serotonergic pathways, even without gestational diabetes. These results suggest that maternal diet and obesity have significant in utero effects and may increase susceptibility to obesity in offspring.