The effect of a mixture of probiotic strains (2:1:1 Lactobacillus casei IMVB-7280, Bifidobacterium animalis VKL, Bifidobacterium animalis VKB) on the development of experimental obesity in rats induced by neonatal administration of monosodium glutamate has been studied. It was shown that in rats of 4 months age, the injection of monosodium glutamate (4 mg/g) at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 days after birth elicited abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome. An intermittent administration of a probiotic mixture to rats treated with monosodium prevented the development of obesity. In the group of rats treated with probiotics, anthropometric parameters (weight and body length, Lee index, body mass index) did not differ from the level of intact rats. Visceral fat mass was decreased by probiotics by 38,5 % (P<0,05) compared to rats treated with water. Probiotics improved lipid metabolism: reduced the level of VLDL by 32,2 % (P<0,05), the level of LDL by 30,6 % (P<0,05), increased HDL by 25,7 % (P<0,05) compared to obese control rats. Probiotic strains restored the secretion of adipocytes hormones (leptin and adiponectin) to the normal level of intact animals. The results show the effectiveness of probiotics for the prevention of obesity.