Nutritional studies in the weanling rat with normophagic hypothalamic obesity

Weanling male hypothalamic-obese Sprague-Dawley rats (VMNL) and sham-operated controls (CON) fed stock diet for 2 weeks postoperatively ate similar amounts, but VMNL laid down more fat and less body weight per calories. Three equicaloric diets of different macronutrient (MN) content each were fed for 21 days. Diet selection: VMNL selected more carbohydrate (CHO) diet and protein diet but similar amounts of fat diet; total caloric intake was comparable. Percent diet selection showed the identical pattern. MN intake: VMNL ingested more percent CHO, less percent protein and similar percent fat as CON. Refeeding after 2-day fast: both groups selected similar amounts of diets, but VMNL ingested less protein. High protein diet along (9 days): both groups increased caloric intake over previous regimens, weight gain and caloric intake were similar, but Lee Index was higher in VMNL. Stock diet (32 days): VMNL showed normal body weight gains but higher Lee Index despite hypophagia. They utilized calories similarly for body weight gains but more poorly for fat deposition than CON. After death several key plasma substrates were similar in both groups but epididymal fat pads were heavier in VMNL.