A maternal junk food (JF) diet alters offspring mu-opioid receptor (MuR) expression.
It was unclear when these changes in MuR expression in the offspring first emerged.
No effect of a maternal JF diet on MuR was present on postnatal day 1 or 7.
Female JF offspring had reduced MuR expression on postnatal day 21 and 28.
The late suckling period maybe a time of increased susceptibility of MuR to JF diets.