Time-restricted feeding during embryonic development leads to metabolic dysfunction in adult rat offspring

•Maternal time-restricted feeding (TRF) during pregnancy leads to changes in offspring metabolism•TRF impairs glucose homeostasis and the lipid profile of adult offspring•Female offspring are more susceptible to maternal TRF•Glucose-induced insulin secretion is diminished in islets of adult offspring•The adrenergic response in pancreatic β-cells is sex-dependent Maternal circadian eating time and frequency are associated with altered glucose metabolism during pregnancy in humans. Research on long maternal fasting intervals is inconclusive, and little is known about the effect of maternal time feeding on offspring health. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to determine whether maternal time feeding influences the metabolic status of both male and female offspring. Pregnant rats were provided ad libitum access to chow diet or fed during either the light phase (LP) or dark phase (DP) during embryonic development. At the age of 150 days, glucose tolerance, lipid concentrations, and insulin secretion were determined in adult male and female offspring. Both male and female offspring of LP and DP dams exhibited alterations in the lipid profile, and female offspring were glucose intolerant. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion decreased in male and female offspring of LP and DP dams. Acetylcholine increased insulin secretion in male and female offspring. Islets from male and female offspring of DP dams exhibited less pronounced inhibition of insulin secretion by epinephrine, suggesting alterations in the cholinergic and adrenergic pathways in these animals. Our data suggest that a time-restricted feeding regimen during embryonic development could program rat offspring for metabolic dysfunction during adulthood.