Publicação
Impact of maternal stevia consumption on offspring`s metabolic health: A role in fetal programming
| dc.contributor.author | Bracchi, Isabella | |
| dc.contributor.author | Barbosa, Margarida | |
| dc.contributor.author | Vieira, Maria Inês | |
| dc.contributor.author | Brandão, Sofia | |
| dc.contributor.author | Esteves, Ana Carolina | |
| dc.contributor.author | Martins, Carina | |
| dc.contributor.author | Rocha, Inês | |
| dc.contributor.author | Pestana, Diogo | |
| dc.contributor.author | Negrão, Rita | |
| dc.contributor.author | Keating, Elisa | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-10T14:34:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-10T14:34:38Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-05 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The consumption of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) by pregnant women has increased in recent decades. Stevia, a natural NSS, is generally considered safe, but the World Health Organization recently recommended restricting the use of NSS, including stevia, highlighting the need to assess their safety during early stages of development. To investigate the role of RebaudiosideA (RebA) consumption, the main sweetener component of Stevia, as a fetal programmer of metabolic dysfunction. Female Sprague Dawley rats were administered RebA in the drinking water (4mg steviolequivalents/kg bodyweight/day, corresponding to the EFSA’s ADI) from 4 weeks before mating until weaning (total 13 weeks) (RebA, n=8), or water as control (C, n=8). Offspring (G1, both sexes) were weaned at 3 weeks of age into a standard diet until 10 months of age. G1 morphometry, food and water consumption were assessed. G1 glucose homeostasis was assessed by oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) and insulin sensitivity tests (IST) at 2, 6 and 10 months of age. Two-wayANOVA, with Sidak correction, was performed to test the effect of time, RebA, and the interaction between them. Female offspring early exposed to RebA (RebA-G1) presented greater weight gain from 30 weeks of age and onwards when compared to matched controls (p=0.0165). Food and water consumption were similar between groups. Early exposure to RebA changed the glycemic response of female G1 over time during the IST (p=0.0200) at 10 but not at 2 or 6 months of age. Male RebA-G1 presented higher glycemia 2h-post OGTT at 10 months of age, when compared to matched controls (p=0.0197). Maternal RebA consumption during the perigestional period led to increased weight gain and signs of insulin resistance in female offspring, and a degree of dysglycemia in male offspring. These findings strongly suggest a role of RebA in fetal programming of metabolic dysfunction. | eng |
| dc.identifier.citation | Bracchi, I., Barbosa, M., Vieira, M. I., Brandão, S., Esteves, A. C., Martins, C., Rocha, I., Pestana, D., Negrão, R., & Keating, E. (2025). Impact of maternal stevia consumption on offspring`s metabolic health: A role in fetal programming. XXIV Congresso de Nutrição e Alimentação da Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição (APN) 2025 - Acta Portuguesa de Nutrição, 41, 99–100. https://actaportuguesadenutricao.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ACTA-41_LOW-2.pdf | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 2183-5985 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/32574 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | |
| dc.publisher | Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição | |
| dc.relation.hasversion | https://actaportuguesadenutricao.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ACTA-41_LOW-2.pdf | |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Stevia | |
| dc.title | Impact of maternal stevia consumption on offspring`s metabolic health: A role in fetal programming | eng |
| dc.type | conference poster | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.citation.conferenceDate | 2025-05 | |
| oaire.citation.conferencePlace | Braga | |
| oaire.citation.endPage | 100 | |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 99 | |
| oaire.citation.title | XXIV Congresso de Nutrição e Alimentação da Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição (APN) 2025 - Acta Portuguesa de Nutrição | |
| oaire.citation.volume | 41 | |
| oaire.version | http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85 |