Recovery from malnutrition in rats with or without the addition of dietary food supplements, vitamins and minerals during the growth period

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze dietary food supplementation efficiency in the municipal district of Quissamã, RJ, for recovery from malnutrition during the growth period. METHODS: We used 42 Rattus norvegicus, weaned on the 26th day and induced to malnutrition for 21 days (low protein diet 2%, ad libitum). The animals were divided into 7 groups and fed their respective diets, all of them isoproteic (10%) and isocaloric (350Kcal/100g). Their body weight was registered and liver, kidneys, spleen and intestines were collected and weighed after the animals were sacrificed. RESULTS: On the 28th day, the mean weight gain (75.33g) in the supplementary food control group was significantly inferior to the other groups, and the mean weight gain of the supplementary food and vitamins + minerals control group was the highest (213.17g). Almost all the groups showed statistical differences for the mean weight of the liver, kidneys and spleen; in the supplementary food control group these organs presented the lowest weight (respectively 3.34g; 0.97g; 0.24g), being significantly inferior to the other groups. The supplementary food and vitamins + minerals control group presented the highest mean liver weight (13.85g), as well as the highest kidneys (1.88g) and spleen mean weight (0.87g). The number of Peyer patches/animal varied from 9 to 13, without differences among the groups; the size of the Peyer patches (2.6mm) for the supplementary food control group was significantly smaller than in the other groups. The Quissamã food supplement presented the largest Peyer patches (4.4mm). The food supplement control group presented lower values for all of the studied comparative parameters, since no dietary vitamins and minerals were added. CONCLUSION: The Quissamã, RJ diet reaches the minimal needs to promote recovery from malnutrition, rendering unnecessary the addition of vitamins and mineral and/or food supplementation.

protein-energy malnutrition; food supplement; body weight; rats; dietary vitamins