Efficacy of choline and DHA supplements or enriched environment exposure during early adult obesity in mitigating its adverse impact through aging in rats

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of choline and DHA or exposure to environmental enrichment in obese adult and aging rats on alterations in body mass index, serum lipid profile and arterial wall changes, despite stopping high fat diet consumption and interventions during adulthood. Methods: 21 day old male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned as Experiment-1 & 2 - PND rats were divided into 4 groups with interventions for 7 months (n = 8/group). NC– Normal control fed normal chow diet; OB- Obese group, fed high fat diet; OB + CHO + DHA- fed high fat diet and oral supplementation of choline, DHA. OB + EE- fed high fat diet along with exposure to enriched environment . Experiment-2 had similar groups and interventions as experiment 1 but for next 5 months were fed normal chow diet without any interventions. Body mass index was assessed and blood was analyzed for serum lipid profile. Common Carotid Artery (CCA) was processed for Haematoxylin and eosin, Verhoff Vangeison stains. Images of tissue sections were analyzed and quantified using image J and tissue quant software. Results: In experiment.1, mean body mass index (p < 0.001), serum lipid profile (p < 0.01), thickness of tunica intima (p < 0.05), tunica media (p < 0.01) and percentage of collagen fibers (p < 0.01) of CCA were significantly increased in OB compared to NC. These were significantly attenuated in OB + CHO + DHA and OB + EE compared to OB. In experiment.2, mean body mass index (p < 0.01), serum lipid profile (p < 0.05) and thickness of tunica media of CCA (p < 0.01) were significantly increased in OB compared to NC. In OB + CHO + DHA and OB + EE, significant attenuation was observed in mean body mass index and mean thickness of tunica media compared to same in OB. Conclusion: Adult obesity has negative impact on body mass index, serum lipid profile and arterial wall structure that persists through aging. Supplementation of choline and DHA or exposure to enriched environment during obesity attenuates these negative impacts through aging.