Recent epidemiological studies indicate a strong linkbetween intrauterine under-nutrition and propensityof such off spring for developing obesity and meta-bolic syndrome in later life. Garg et al investigated the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon and its potential reversibility in rats. The authors found that rats experiencing gestational under-nutrition but fed normally after birth (IUGR) gained body mass with excessive subcutaneous and visceral fat. The IUGR rats were alsome tabolically inflexible since they showed similar rates of energy expenditure and O2consumption in the fedand fasted states. However, if such pups were food-restricted during lactation (PNGR), their metabolic profiles resembled those of control and IPGR (subject tofood restriction during pre- and postnatal periods) rats.Thus, postnatal caloric restriction superimposed on intrauterine under nutrition significantly improved insulinsensitivity and adiposity of rats that would otherwise develop metabolic inflexibility and visceral obesity. The observations of Garg et al , have serious implications interm of the design of the future experimental studiesas well as their clinical translation in humans. Recent epidemiological studies indicate a strong linkbetween intrauterine under-nutrition and propensityof such off spring for developing obesity and meta-bolic syndrome in later life. Garg et al investigated the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon and its potential reversibility in rats. The authors found that rats experiencing gestational under-nutrition but fed normally after birth (IUGR) gained body mass with excessive subcutaneous and visceral fat. The IUGR rats were alsome tabolically inflexible since they showed similar rates of energy expenditure and O2consumption in the fed and fasted states. However, if such pups were food-restricted during lactation (PNGR), their metabolic profiles resembled those of control and IPGR (subject tofood restriction during pre- and post -atal periods) rats. Postnatal caloric restriction superimposed on intrauterine under nutrition significantly improved insulin sensitivity and adiposity of rats that would otherwise develop metabolic inflexibil ity and visceral obesity. The observations of Garg et al, have serious implications interm of the design of the future experimental studies well well as their clinical translation in humans.