Mice chronically fed a westernized experimental diet as a model of obesity, metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis.
BACKGROUND
Most studies in animals use diets with several features (for example low-fat, rich in micronutriments), likely to be strongly protective against chronic diseases.


OBJECTIVE
The present study, performed in wild type outbred mice, was designed to evaluate the validity of a model of 'westernized' (W) diet reproducing, as closely as possible, the overall composition of an average human regime in western countries


RESULTS
In contrast to the standard (S) diet, the W diet triggered a marked increase in adiposity with some characteristics of metabolic syndrome (hypercholesterolemia, hyperinsulinemia...). There was an heterogeneity in the propensity to become obese upon exposure to the W diet in female mice. Overweight mice also presented some disturbances of renal function, such as hyperalbuminuria and hypocitraturia. Mice adapted to the W diet showed a reduction of bone mineral density, especially the non-obese ones.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that a model of westernized diet could be appropriate for exploring the effects of mutations, drugs, or specific nutritional factors in animals and could be more relevant for human situations.
Demigné
Christian
C
UMMM Unité des Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA de Clermont-Ferrand/Theix, 63122 St-Genes-Champanelle, France. demigne@clermont.inra.fr
Bloch-Faure
May
M
Picard
Nicolas
N
Sabboh
Houda
H
Besson
Catherine
C
Rémésy
Christian
C
Geoffroy
Valérie
V
Gaston
Anh-Thu
AT
Nicoletti
Antonino
A
Hagège
Albert
A
Ménard
Joël
J
Meneton
Pierre
P
D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D016482:Urinalysis; D015430:Weight Gain