How prenatal choline and maternal high-fat diets affect a child's future risk of fatty liver (NASH)

Interaction of Choline and Fat in the Prenatal Programming of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · BROOKLYN COLLEGE · NIH-11322146

This work tests whether giving extra choline during pregnancy can lower offspring risk of fatty liver disease when exposed to high-fat diets.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorBROOKLYN COLLEGE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11322146 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Researchers will give pregnant animals extra choline and compare them with animals on normal choline levels while some mothers eat high-fat diets. They will follow the offspring to see how much fat and inflammation build up in their livers and whether blood sugar control is improved. The team will also look at chemical markers that control fat genes and protective fats that act as antioxidants. Findings are compared to prior lab results that showed choline reduced fetal liver fat and changed gene methylation.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research is most relevant to pregnant people with obesity or high dietary fat intake who are concerned about their child's future liver and metabolic health.

Not a fit: People already living with advanced NASH or those not pregnant are unlikely to get direct benefit from this preclinical work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If findings translate to people, maternal choline supplements could become a simple way to reduce children's lifetime risk of NASH and related metabolic problems.

How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies, including work from this lab, showed maternal choline lowered fetal liver fat and improved early glucose control, but human evidence is limited.

Where this research is happening

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.