Metabolic changes caused by irregular-feeding schedule as compared with meal-feeding

In this study rats eating 50% of the quantity of daily food intake observed for free-fed rats were restricted to regular (MF) and irregular intermeal (IF) intervals. Rats which had free access to food (FF) were also included. The experiments were carried out for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Body weight, daily food intake, stomach fresh weight, blood glucose and free fatty acids (FFA) levels, liver glycogen content and adrenal ascorbic acid were evaluated. The results showed that adaptative metabolic pattern depends on the discipline of the intermeal intervals. Meal-fed rats with a fixed meal time showed better blood glucose maintenance, slower gastric emptying, increased liver glycogen content and lower FFA mobilization during 22-hr fast than the free-fed group. The same amount of food eating by meal-fed rats given randomly in time (IF) promoted a different adaptative metabolic pattern. The results suggest that the regular intermeal period is an important factor for the establishment of the metabolic changes. Therefore, the meal-feeding schedule has to be considered as a particular modality of food restriction.