Nocturnal patterns of macronutrient intake in freely feeding and food-deprived rats

Analyses of rats' feeding behavior at the start and the end of the nocturnal cycle have revealed dramatic alterations in macronutrient intake over time. At dark onset, rats displayed a preference for carbohydrate, with the first meal of the night consisting of approximately 60% of this nutrient. This carbohydrate intake was soon followed by a shift toward protein-predominant meals. Superimposed on this pattern of meal-to-meal shifts in nutrient selection appears to be an additional rhythm in which carbohydrate ingestion was favored at dark onset and protein and fat ingestion were favored during the late dark hours. Differential feeding patterns were also apparent following mild food deprivation. A 2-h period of deprivation at dark onset produced a strong compensatory feeding response, particularly of fat and carbohydrate. This pattern was not observed at the end of the dark, when little compensatory feeding was demonstrated. It is suggested that these feeding patterns may be related to the activity of certain hypothalamic neurotransmitters, e.g., norepinephrine and serotonin, known to be important in modulating temporal feeding patterns and nutrient intake.