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PubMed1981

Effect of age and diet on the fatty acid composition of triglycerides and phospholipids from liver, adipose tissue and crop of the pigeon.

The fatty acid pattern of the triglycerides (TG) and phospholipids (PHL) from liver, adipose tissue and crop of the pigeon was studied at various stages of posthatching development to determine the influence of the changing diet. In each tissue and at all ages PHL contained more steric and polyenoic but less monoenoic acids than the corresponding TG. Especially in the young squabs the acid composition of the liver (TG as well as PHL) was different from that of the adipose tissue and the crop. In these last tissues, only small variations were noticed during growth, whereas in the liver the acid pattern changed drastically and specifically for each lipid fraction, mainly in the 1st week after hatching. During the period of only cropmilk feeding (0-4 days) the TG from adipose tissue and crop resembled more the acid pattern of the diet than that of the liver TG, suggesting that in this period these tissues derive their acids for TG synthesis mostly from exogenous sources rather than from the liver. The subsequent change from cropmilk to grain diet was not clearly reflected in the acid content of the examined tissues probably as a result of an enhanced de novo synthesis. The acid distribution in the PHL of the various tissues was at all ages very different from that of the corresponding diets and their alterations, characteristic for each tissue, may therefore be correlated more with age than with dietary conditions.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2026

EWAS in a polyphenol dense, DNA methylation-targeted, controlled diet and lifestyle study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary and lifestyle factors can influence DNA methylation patterns. We previously reported epigenetic age attenuation following a controlled study using an 8-week polyphenol-dense, DNA methylation-targeted diet and lifestyle intervention in healthy males (Methylation Diet and Lifestyle Study), with phytonutrient/polyphenol-rich foods (green tea, oolong tea, curcumin, garlic, and berries) being most predictive of this effect. METHODS: Here we conducted an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) in 38 participants from the Methylation Diet and Lifestyle Study. The intervention included a dietary pattern intentionally rich in substrate and cofactor nutrients for methylation pathways, and components known to alter DNA-methyltransferase (DNMT) enzyme activity. In line with prior EWAS studies with small sample sizes where FDR-significant findings are unlikely, we used pre-specified nominal P-value thresholds (0.001, 0.0001) for the exploratory analyses. RESULTS: At P < 0.001 (unadjusted), 676 differentially methylated loci (DML) were identified in the intervention group versus 286 in controls. At P < 0.0001 (unadjusted), 50 DML were identified in the intervention group compared to 13 in controls. Fifteen DML were in transcription start site-proximal regions of genes including those involved in zinc homeostasis and nutrient sensing, development and pluripotency, proteostasis and genome stability, tumor suppression, and synaptic function. A group-by-time interaction analysis identified 70 intervention-specific DML at P < 0.0001, with nominal enrichment including autophagy, mTOR signaling, and chromatin remodeling pathways. A regional DMR analysis identified 128 within-group and 129 interaction-specific DMRs. DMR functional enrichment analyses revealed convergent nominal associations with lipid metabolism (alpha-linolenic acid, lipoic acid, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, PPAR signaling, cholesterol homeostasis), central energy metabolism (TCA cycle, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pentose phosphate, pyruvate), and nutrient sensing (PI3K-Akt, mTOR, AMPK, autophagy as well as other pathways). As expected for the limited cohort size and short intervention duration, none of the single CpG findings or enrichment analyses survived multiple test correction and are therefore considered exploratory and hypothesis-generating only. CONCLUSION: This EWAS identified a larger number of nominally changing CpGs in the intervention group compared to controls as well as biologically coherent methylation changes. These findings provide mechanistic hypotheses for previously observed epigenetic age attenuation. Replication in larger cohorts, longer intervention durations, and functional validation remain essential.

DNA methylation↗
PubMed1981

The effect of type and level of protein, fibre and starch on nitrogen excretion patterns in rats.

1. Three series of nitrogen balance experiments were performed with growing rats to test the effect of type and level of protein, fibre and starch on N excretion patterns. The design involved eighteen treatments in a 3 X 3 X 2 factorial experiment with five rats per dietary treatment. The eighteen treatments resulted from a combination of three protein treatments, three fibre treatments and two starch treatments. Protein treatments consisted of one level (15 g N/kg DM) of casein fortified with methionine, a protein of high digestibility, and two levels (15 and 20 g N/kg DM) of autoclaved brown beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), a protein source of low digestibility. The fibre treatments were two levels of cellulose powder and one level of barley hulls. The two starch treatments were autoclaved potato starch and autoclaved and raw potato starch (1:1, w/w). 2. The inclusion of raw potato starch reduced true protein digestibility markedly when the protein source was casein, but the corresponding biological values were increased significantly with this treatment. This strongly indicated a movement of urea from the blood to the intestines. This assumption was also supported by significantly lower blood urea concentrations in animals given raw starch. The influence of raw starch on true protein digestibility was, however, significantly less when cellulose and barley hulls were included. This is probably due to reduced transit time from fibre inclusion. The nature of the gut contents also supported this hypothesis. 3. The inclusion of raw potato starch when brown beans were the source of protein had much less effect on true protein digestibility and biological value than when casein was the protein source. This was probably due to the low digestibility of DM and protein in this food leaving sufficient energy and protein for maximum microbial growth. The inclusion of fibre also had little effect on N excretion patterns with the brown-bean diets. 4. An increase in the level of brown bean inclusion reduced true protein digestibility only on the diets containing raw starch whereas the biological value was consistently reduced regardless of starch treatment. The lower biological values were associated with significantly higher blood urea concentrations. Increasing the level of brown bean inclusion also resulted in higher fresh weights of caecum, colon and contents. 5. The present work proves that, through dietary manipulation, it is possible to affect nitrogen excretion patterns in rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

[Effect of glutamic acid content in the diet on the catabolic rate of the isotope-labeled glutamic acid in rats. 4. Measurement of 14C-glutamic acid oxidation to 14CO2 with various energy sources in the diet].

48 male rats (body weight 80-100 g) were fed with 2 diets different in the glutamic acid content (diet I 2.42 and diet II 6.24% glutamic acid in the dry matter). The mixture of the other synthetic L-amino acids was adapted to the egg protein pattern corresponding 10% crude protein in the diet. Each diet was fed either on 73% or 98 to 104% of the energy maintenance requirement. After 7 days of experimental feeding 14C-U-L-glutamic acid was given to each group by intragastric infusion (i.g.), intraperitoneal (i.p.) or subcutaneous injection (s.c.), respectively, followed by a measurement of the CO2-and 14CO2-excretion during two subsequent periods of 3 hours. The CO2-excretion was lower in animals with restricted energy intake especially during the first 3 hour-period, which was started 2 hours after feed intake. The relative 14CO2-excretion (percent of the dose) was neither significantly influenced by the level of energy intake nor by the amount of dietary glutamic acid. The highest degradation rates of 14C-glutamic acid to 14CO2 were measured after i.g. application (more than 50%), followed by the i.p. injection (nearly 50%) and the lowest values were observed after s.c. injection (about 40%). These differences were only evident during the first CO2-absorption period. Furthermore the s.c. injection caused a lower specific radioactivity of CO2 compared with the data after i.g. and i.p. application. The results suggest the high metabolic activity of the intestinal tissue for glutamic acid.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2000

Food intake patterns and gallbladder disease in Mexican Americans.

OBJECTIVE: Results of previous studies on diet and gallbladder disease (GBD), defined as having gallstones or having had surgery for gallstones, have been inconsistent. This research examined patterns of food intake in Mexican Americans and their associations with GBD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SUBJECTS: The study population included 4641 Mexican Americans aged 20-74 years who participated in the 1988-94 third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). GBD was diagnosed by ultrasound. Food intake patterns were identified by principal components analysis based on food frequency questionnaire responses. Component scores representing the level of intake of each pattern were categorized into quartiles, and prevalence odds ratios (POR) were estimated relative to the lowest quartile along with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: There were four distinct patterns in women (vegetable, high calorie, traditional, fruit) and three in men (vegetable, high calorie, traditional). After age adjustment, none were associated with GBD in women. However, men in the third (POR = 0.42, 95%CI 0.21-0.85) and fourth (POR = 0.53, 95%CI 0.28-1.01) quartiles of the traditional intake pattern were half as likely to have GBD as those in the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS: These findings add to a growing literature suggesting dietary intake patterns can provide potentially useful and relevant information on diet-disease associations. Nevertheless, methods to do so require further development and validation.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Increased insulin sensitivity and cellular insulin binding in obese diabetics following treatment with glibenclamide.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of glibenclamide on the insulin receptors, the insulin sensitivity and the insulin secretion in obese non-ketotic diabetics. Two groups of 9 obese diabetics were studied before and after 10 days' treatment with a 1200 kcal's diet and a 1200 kcal's diet + 10 mg/day of glibenclamide, respectively. In the group treated with diet alone we found no significant alteration of the insulin secretion pattern (P greater than 0.1). However, the insulin sensitivity increased 37% (P less than 0.01). Furthermore, the insulin binding to monocytes increased (P less than 0.01) due to a 36% rise of the binding affinity. In the group treated with glibenclamide and diet the insulin secretory pattern was unchanged, too (p greater than 0.1). The insulin sensitivity, however, increased 83% (P less than 0.01). Moreover, the insulin binding was raised (P less than 0.01) as a result of a 80% rise of the number of insulin receptors. In 4 patients who were treated with diet (1200 kcal/day) plus glibenclamide and in 5 patients who were treated with diet alone (1200 kcal/day) the insulin binding to monocytes was studied during treatment for 1 year. After 1 year we found a significantly (P less than 0.005) higher cellular insulin binding in the glibenclamide treated patients compared to the patients who got diet alone. We conclude that 1) the augmentation of the insulin sensitivity is of great importance for the normalization of the diabetic state in obese, 2) the increase in insulin binding may be of importance for the increase in insulin sensitivity, 3) glibenclamide appears to enhance the insulin sensitivity through an increase in the number of insulin receptors.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Effect of feeding protein deficient diet on phospholipid turnover and protein kinase C mediated protein phosphorylation in rat brain.

Feeding of protein deficient diet is known to alter the transmembrane signalling in brain of rat by reducing total protein kinase C (PKC) activity. Phospholipid metabolism regulates the activation of PKC through generation of second messengers and the extent of PKC activation accordingly influences the magnitude of phosphorylation of its endogenous substrate proteins. Thus it was speculated that ingestion of protein deficient diet may modify the turnover rate of membrane phospholipids and magnitude of phosphorylation of endogenous substrate proteins of PKC. The experiments were conducted on rats fed on three different types of laboratory prepared diets viz. casein (20% casein), deficient (4% protein, rice flour as source of protein) and supplemented (deficient diet supplemented with L-lysine and DL-threonine) for 28 days. The metabolism of phosphoinositides (PIs) and phosphatidyl choline (PC) was studied by equilibrium labeling with [3H] myo inositol and [14C methyl] choline chloride respectively. The phosphorylation of endogenous substrate proteins of PKC was studied by using 32P-gamma-ATP followed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. The results suggest that in deficient group, there is an increased incorporation of [3H] myo inositol in PIs and inositol phosphate pool in comparison to the casein group. The phosphatidyl inositol (PI) turnover reduced, although there was a marginal increase in the phosphatidyl inositol monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidyl inositol bis phosphate (PIP2). Supplementation of diet showed a reversal of the pattern towards control to a considerable extent. In the deficient group, PC metabolism showed an increased incorporation of [14C methyl] choline in choline phospholipids but decreased incorporation in phosphoryl choline in comparison with the casein group. The increase in total PC contents was significant but marginal in residue contents. The turnover rate of PC increased only marginally and that of residue declined. Supplementation of diet reduced the total contents of PC and residue, but the turnover rate of PC and residue remained still higher. Phosphorylation of endogenous proteins showed four different proteins of 78, 46, 33 and 16 kDa to be the substrates of PKC in casein group. In deficient group, phosphorylation of these proteins increased markedly while supplementation of diet had a reversing effect rendering the values to be intermediate between casein and the supplemented group. The changes in phospholipid metabolism and in phosphorylation of endogenous substrate proteins of PKC suggest that dietary protein deficiency causes alterations in transmembrane signalling mechanism in rat brain. These effects are partially reversed by improving the quality of proteins in the diet.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Parenteral nutrition in patients with liver cirrhosis. Effects on circulating levels of glucose and hormones and on cerebral function.

The effects of 2 and 5 days of total parenteral nutrition (TPN; 70 g amino-acids, 100 g fat, 150 g glucose) on carbohydrate, fat and amino-acid levels and on cerebral function were investigated in 10 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 7 age-matched healthy controls. The results were compared to those after a standardised oral diet. During TPN, glucose concentrations increased slightly in both groups. Insulin concentrations also rose in both groups, but the rise was more pronounced in the patients, resulting in a 10-fold difference between the two groups after 6.5 hours (patients: 281 +/- 81 U/l; controls: 28 +/- 5 U/l; p < 0.02). Glucagon increased significantly during TPN in the patients only (33%, p < 0.05). Similar but less pronounced patterns were observed after the oral diet. The basal concentrations of free fatty acids and 3-OH-butyrate were higher in the patients than in the controls. However, during both oral and parenteral nutrition, the concentrations fell in both groups. For 3-OH-butyrate the difference between the groups disappeared, while the free fatty acid levels remained higher in the patients throughout the TPN administration. Basal triglyceride levels were similar in patients and controls and rose to a similar extent in both groups during TPN. Plasma amino-acid concentrations were typical for cirrhotic patients in the basal state: low levels of the branched-chain amino-acids (BCAA) and high concentrations of the aromatic amino-acids (AAA). During TPN BCAA, as well as AAA, increased in both patients and controls, resulting in unaltered BCAA AAA ratio. All patients performed poorly on psychometric tests (Number Connection Tests A and B; Digit Symbol) before the study, indicating subclinical encephalopathy. However, no deterioration was observed in any of the tests during five days of TPN. Similarly, EEG and visual evoked potentials were unchanged during the study, demonstrating that patients with severe alcoholic liver disease tolerate a balanced intravenous nutrition without adverse effects on cerebral function.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Fatty acid utilization by young Wistar rats fed a cafeteria diet.

The content and accretion of fatty acids in 30, 45 and 60-day old Wistar rats fed either reference chow or a cafeteria diet has been studied, together with their actual fatty acid intake during that period. Diet had a small overall effect on the pattern of deposition of fatty acids, but the deposition of fat was much higher in cafeteria rats. The fat-rich cafeteria diet allowed the direct incorporation of most fatty acids into lipid storage, whilst chow-feeding activated lipogenesis and the deposition of a shorter chain and more saturated type of fatty acids. During the second month of the rat's life, the elongation pathway as well as delta 9-desaturase became functional, thus helping to shape the pattern of fatty acids actually accrued. The 60-day rats showed a relative impairment in the operation of delta 5-desaturase, since their lipids had a higher C20:4/C20:3 ratio than those of the diet ingested. Cafeteria-diet feeding minimized this effect since the large supply of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids made the operation of the elongation-desaturase pathways practically unnecessary.

Aging↗
PubMed1989

Plasma concentrations of free amino acids during 3 weeks treatment of massively obese children with a very low calorie diet.

Eight grossly obese children (2 girls, 8 boys, age 12.6 +/- 2.1 mean +/- SD years, mean overweight 73.3 +/- 14%) were treated for 3 weeks with a very low calorie diet (VLCD), containing 1022 kJ/240 kcal, 33 g protein, 25.5 g carbohydrate and 0.7 g fat/day. Mean weight loss after 3 weeks was 9.47 +/- 2.8 kg and mean nitrogen loss was calculated to be 113.3 +/- 71.2 g. While serum electrolytes, enzymes, glucose, urea and creatinine remained almost unchanged, distinct alterations of 23 free amino acids in plasma could be observed. A transient increase of plasma valine, leucine, isoleucine and alpha-aminobutyrate during the 1st week was followed by a constant fall in the 2nd and 3rd week. Glycine, proline, serine and threonine showed a progressive increase, while cystine, histidine and, above all, alanine decreased, the diminution of alanine being most rapid during the 1st week. No significant changes were observed in plasma concentrations of arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, citrulline, glutamic acid, glutamine, lysine, tyrosine, ornithine, phenylalanine and taurine. Total plasma amino acid content did not change during diet compared to the pre-diet period. The behavior of plasma amino acids shows a typical pattern within four groups, reflecting various interorgan substrate fluxes during hypocaloric dieting.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The effect of diet on liver glycogen and body composition in the chick.

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of diet on liver glycogen and body composition in the three-week-old chick. When percent protein and percent lysine were varied, liver glycogen concentration declined significantly as protein and lysine increased, 32.6 vs. 19.4 mg/g for the 14 and 35% protein diets, respectively. Carcass fat decreased and carcass moisture increased in a pattern similar to glycogen as protein and lysine increased in the diets. When seven levels of lysine were fed in isocaloric, isonitrogenous diets, glycogen content was not significantly different in any of the treatments. Liver glycogen was highest at the lowest energy level when dietary energy was increased and protein held constant. Carcass fat varied with the energy level but was also influenced by the amino acid balance. The data suggest that percent carbohydrate to percent fat ratio in the diet (both calculated) is an important factor affecting glycogen, but more research is needed to determine the mechanisms controlling the glycogen content of the liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Age changes of mandibular condyles and glenoid fossae in mice fed a liquid diet.

The effects of the masticatory function on age changes of the temporomandibular joint were studied in 163 C3H/He strain male mice, separated into solid and liquid diet groups from 2 weeks of age. The sizes and shapes of the mandibular condyles and glenoid fossae of the two groups were compared up to 60 weeks. The sizes and shapes of the condyles in the solid diet group increased and developed with age, but there was almost no change after 3 weeks of age in the liquid diet group. The sizes and shapes of the fossae increased and developed with age until 20 weeks in both groups, and there was no differences between the two groups. The poor functional stimulus of mastication has distinct effects on the underdevelopment of the condyle. Since the effects on the fossae were less than those on the condyles, not only the amount of mandibular movement, but also its pattern may have affected the liquid diet group.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

Involvement of food intake in the decreased energy retention associated with single deficiencies of lysine and sulphur-containing amino acids in growing chicks.

1. Growth and energy utilisation were determined in growing chicks fed ad libitum on diets deficient either in lysine (5.95 g/kg) or in sulphur-containing amino acids (SAA, 3.5 g/kg). Food intake, body weight gain, energy retained as protein and as fat, and total energy retention were significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced by single deficiencies of either lysine or SAA. 2. Another two experiments were conducted to determine if the decreased total energy retentions in chicks fed on diets deficient in lysine (experiment 3) or SAA (experiment 4) were associated with reduced food intake, by using tube-feeding to control the amount and pattern of food consumption. Chicks fed on diets deficient in lysine or SAA retained less energy as protein and more energy as fat than the control chicks. Neither total energy retention nor heat increment was affected by these deficiencies. Total energy retention was proportional to metabolisable energy (ME) intake alone. 3. It is concluded that the decreased total energy retentions caused by single deficiencies of lysine and SAA were associated with decreased food intake.

Amino Acids, Sulfur↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sociodemographic differences in adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern in Spanish populations].

OBJECTIVES: Lower social classes tend to eat a less healthy diet. The aim of this study was to compare adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern among different demographic and social groups in the adult population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in southern and northern regions of Spain in healthy volunteers (15,634 men and 25,812 women), aged 29-69 years, who were members of the European Prospective Investigation on Cancer cohort in Spain. Nine groups of food were included in the definition of the Mediterranean diet: vegetables and garden products, fruits, pulses, cereals, red meat, fish, olive oil, milk and milk products, and wine. Two techniques were used in the analysis: comparison of the mean daily intake of each group and calculation of an overall score for all the foods according to educational level and original social class. RESULTS: Groups with the lowest educational levels consumed more cereals and pulses and lower quantities of vegetables, olive oil (women), milk and milk products (men). Wine consumption was positively associated with education in women and was negatively associated in men. Calculation of a score to measure overall adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern eliminated differences according to each food category. No variations were found according to educational level, but small differences were found in original social class. The adherence score was lowest in young adults and women and was slightly higher in the south than in the north of Spain. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the Mediterranean dietary pattern is fairly uniform, at least in the adult population of the regions included in this study.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Countergradient variation in the sexual coloration of guppies (Poecilia reticulata): drosopterin synthesis balances carotenoid availability.

Trinidad guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are distributed along an environmental gradient in carotenoid availability that limits the carotenoid content of the orange spots of males. The amount of synthetic red pteridines (drosopterins) in the orange spots covaries with the carotenoid content, such that the ratio of the two types of pigments is roughly conserved across streams. Carotenoids and drosopterins have different spectral properties and thus the ratio of the two types of pigments affects the shape of the orange spot reflectance spectrum. Geographic conservation of the carotenoid:drosopterin ratio suggests that males may be under selection to maintain a particular hue. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the pigmentation and coloration of guppies from six streams in the field to that of second-generation descendants of the same populations raised on three dietary carotenoid levels in the laboratory. The results show clearly that the geographic variation in drosopterin production is largely genetic and that the hue of the orange spots is conserved among populations in the field, relative to the laboratory diet groups. This is a countergradient pattern because genetic differences between populations in drosopterin production mask the effect of carotenoid availability on the hue of the orange spots. The potential for countergradient sexual selection to contribute to reproductive isolation between populations is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Exploratory study of the relationship between hypertension and diet diversity among Saba Islanders.

The relationship between diet diversity and hypertension was examined in a cross-sectional exploratory study of 82 randomly selected adult residents of Saba Island, Netherlands Antilles, in the eastern Caribbean Basin. Blood pressure measurements, taken over 4 years, and the appropriate use of antihypertensive medications, were used to identify chronic hypertensives. A 24-hour dietary recall, semi-quantitative food frequency interviews, and ethnographic confirmation techniques were used to calculate diet diversity, a measure of the overall dietary pattern. Results suggest hypertension is associated with lack of an overall balance of food groups in the daily diet beyond any imbalance of a particular dietary cation such as sodium, potassium, or calcium. Bivariate analyses found a significant association between a poorly diversified diet and hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 4.25, 95 percent confidence intervals [CI] = 1.47,12.30). Dietary intake of sodium, potassium, and calcium was also examined and found not to be associated with the presence of hypertension in bivariate analyses. Including these cations individually in logistic regression models, which also included diet diversity, did not diminish the diet diversity-hypertension association. Multiple logistic regression models in which other potential confounding variables were individually entered as a control variable (body fat, skin color, age, sex, perceived stress, alcohol intake, aerobic activity, and socioeconomic status) did not alter this result. Analysis of the presence or absence of individual food groups indicate a lack of legumes in the daily diet is also associated with the diagnosis of hypertension (OR = 4.71, 95 percent CI = [1.71,13.01]).

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dietary habits in Spain: an approximation.

The dietary pattern of a population sample of males selected as a control group for a case-control study on bladder cancer carried out in four different regions of Spain is presented. Out of 807 population controls initially selected, 530 were interviewed, 465 males and 65 females. The method of selection of the study subjects and the diet assessment method are described. Our results confirm the Mediterranean pattern of the Spanish diet, with an important consumption of fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and the use of vegetable oils, specially olive oil, for cooking and seasoning, accompanied with a high polyunsaturated/saturated ratio (0.7). The consumption of butter, cheese and other dairy products, on the other hand, is very low. Estimated total caloric intake is relatively low if compared with international figures, although questionnaire base assessment may seriously underestimate caloric intake, as it is the absolute amount of intake of lipids and carbohydrates. In relative terms, however, lipids provide the highest percentage of calories.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Rats on a macronutrient self-selection diet eat most meals from a single food cup.

Computerized meal pattern analysis was performed on female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10). Rats were housed for 14 days in cages adapted for macronutrient selection. Rats selected their diet from vitamin and mineral supplemented, semipurified sources of carbohydrate, fat and protein, in three individual food cups. For analysis of meal patterns, minimum meal size was > 50 mg, and mean minimum intermeal interval was 7.9 min. Daily energy intake averaged 289.0 kJ, with 75% occurring during the dark cycle. Energy intake was 28% carbohydrate, 50% fat and 22% protein. Of 12.3 daily meals, 56% were from one, 35% from two, and only 9% of the meals were from three food cups. Seventy percent of the time carbohydrate was the first meal of the dark cycle. The average number of meals per day eaten from carbohydrate, fat, and protein were not significantly different (6.9, 6.2 and 5.6, respectively, p > 0.05). Energy intake for a meal was greatest when fat was eaten (18.35 kJ), than when either carbohydrate (8.68 kJ) or protein (8.97 kJ) was eaten. Meal duration was 7.03 min for carbohydrate, 3.75 min for fat, and 7.47 min for protein. These results provide evidence that rats on a macronutrient self-selection diet eat most meals from a single macronutrient source.

Animals↗