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Altered Feeding Behaviors and Adiposity Precede Observable Weight Gain in Young Rats Submitted to a Short-Term
David E Andrich1,2,3, Lilya Melbouci1,2,4, Ya Ou1,2,4
1Département des Sciences de l'Activité Physique, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), 141 President-Kennedy Ave., Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 1Y4.
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
|May 29, 2018
Summary
A short-term high-fat diet (HFD) in young rats alters body composition and feeding behaviors, even before significant weight gain occurs. This early dietary intervention impacts activity and satiety, preceding metabolic disorders.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic research
- Animal models of obesity
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Limited understanding of early obesogenic diet effects on feeding patterns.
- Obesity etiology research requires insights into initial dietary impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the early effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on feeding behaviors and metabolic parameters in young rats.
- To determine if HFD-induced changes precede significant weight gain and metabolic disorders.
Main Methods:
- Young male Wistar rats were fed HFD or regular chow diets (RCDs) for 14 days.
- Metabolic parameters were measured using metabolic chambers.
- Body composition, feeding patterns, activity, and ghrelin levels were analyzed.
Main Results:
- HFD rats showed increased visceral fat and reduced liver weight, despite similar total weight gain.
- Calorie intake increased, with shorter, higher-calorie feeding bouts in HFD rats.
- Ambulatory activity and sleep duration decreased in HFD rats; ghrelin levels remained unchanged.
Conclusions:
- Short-term HFD alters body composition, feeding patterns, activity, and behavior in young rats before significant weight gain.
- These changes occur independently of alterations in ghrelin levels at this early stage.
- The findings highlight early dietary impacts on physiology and behavior, preceding overt obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
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