Maternal Omega-3 Enriched and Mediterranean Diets Influence Neonatal Gut Microbiome Maturation

Early-life diet-microbiome interactions were examined by testing how maternal dietary patterns - western diet enriched in saturated fatty acids (SFA), omega-3 (n3), or omega-6 (n6) fatty acids, or a Mediterranean diet - affect the neonatal gut microbiome. Offspring born to mothers fed on these diets during gestation and lactation were kept on western diet for 10 weeks post-weaning. Offspring fecal samples were collected at weaning and 8-weeks were analyzed.