Calcium deficiency cannot induce obesity in rats.
If intake of a required nutrient--here calcium--affects body weight, the effect must be mediated by a change in the body weight set-point. Thus, the controversial 'anti-obesity' influence of high calcium intake should decrease the body weight set-point. Diets differing in calcium content were assigned to three groups of rats. The effects of the diets on body weight, BMI, fat content, plasma calcium, body weight set-point, food intake, and preference for various calcium solutions were measured after 6 weeks of calcium deprivation or supplementation, and again after a further 6 weeks of recovery on a regular diet. After 6 weeks, the low-calcium diet had induced calcium deficiency but had failed to raise the body weight set-point. Nor had it produced obesity or fat accumulation. After 6 weeks of recovery, body weight and fat content were no higher in calcium-deprived rats than in the control or supplemented rats. In this experiment, low-calcium intake failed to cause obesity and did not raise the body weight set-point. The results indicate that calcium intake probably does not affect body weight.
Paradis
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S
Département d'anatomie et physiologie, Centre de recherche sur le métabolisme énergétique (CREME), Université Laval, Québec, Canada, G1K 7P4.
Cabanac
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M
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency*; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
D002122:Calcium Chloride; D002118:Calcium