title: Dietary hyperphagia in rats: role of fat, carbohydrate, and energy content.
abstract: Dietary energy, fat and carbohydrate content were varied to determine the nutritional factors responsible for hyperphagia induced by feeding rats high-fat diets. In the first experiment, rats were fed isoenergetic high-fat or high-carbohydrate diets for 2 weeks. Weight gain and energy intake were lower in rats given the high-fat diet. When some of the rats were switched to a diet that was high in fat, carbohydrate and energy, gram food intake was initially unchanged, resulting in a substantial increase in energy intake and weight gain. Energy intake gradually declined over the 4 weeks following the switch to the high-energy diet. In the second experiment, rats were fed high-fat diets that were either high or low in carbohydrate content and either high or low in energy content (kcal/g). Rats fed a high-fat diet that was high in energy and carbohydrate ate the most energy and gained the most body weight and carcass fat. In the third experiment, rats were fed high-carbohydrate diets varying in fat and cellulose content. Energy intake and body weight gain varied directly as a function of caloric density regardless of the fat or cellulose content of the diets. It is concluded that hyperphagia induced by feeding high-fat diets is not due to the high dietary fat content alone. Rather, high levels of fat, carbohydrate, and energy interact to produce overeating and obesity in rats fed high-fat diets.
authors.affiliation: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber