Today greater than usual emphasis is required on experimental models of translational studies to better understand the developmental origins of cardiovascular and metabolic disease process. This animal based work presented here demonstrates that long-term maternal high fat feeding from weaning through pregnancy and lactation predisposes offspring to cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Early pharmacological treatment of these dams inhibits these effects on the offspring and reduce their risk of later cardiovascular pathophysiology. These findings may have important implications on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome in many societies.
