Abstract
AIMS
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of short-term food restriction (6-weeks) on metabolic profile and spontaneous physical activity (SPA) of young male Wistar rats.
METHODS
Thirty rats had their baseline SPA measured at 21 days-old and were separated into two groups at 28 days-old: Control (CG) and 50% of food restriction (FR). The food restriction protocol lasted six weeks, being the SPA measured weekly by a gravimetric apparatus. At the end of the experiment, biochemical analyses were performed in serum and tissue samples with statistical significance set at 5%.
RESULTS
FR showed less SPA than CG, as occurred for body mass, water intake, adipose tissue and liver, heart and soleus glycogen, serum glucose, total protein, triglycerides and total cholesterol (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Data set demonstrates that low substrate stores signaled to decrease spontaneous physical activity to save energy.
Keywords
spontaneous activity; food restriction; gravimetric apparatus; rats
* P<0.05 in relation to food restriction group to the same week; ** P<0.01 in relation to food restriction group to the same week. # P<0.05 in relation to the first week for the same group.
** P<0.01 in relation to control group.
** P<0.01 in relation to control group.
** P<0.01 in relation to control group.