INFLUENCES OF TIME INTERVALS BETWEEN MEALS AND TOTAL FOOD-INTAKE ON RESTING METABOLIC-RATE IN RATS

Resting metabolic rate was measured in rats receiving single or double food portions every day or every other day, adding up to the same tot al food intakes. Starving rats were also measured. At two different to tal food intakes, there were no differences between the rats that were fed a meal every day and those fed a double meal every other day. Thu s, the time interval between meals does not determine the extent of th e metabolic depression. Also, the resting metabolic rates of rats fed various reduced food regimens are very similar to each other and to th e resting metabolic rate of starved rats. The results of this study th us indicate that metabolic depression during starvation and severe cal oric restriction in rats is an initially uniform response that modulat es itself late in the starvation or restriction period in accordance w ith the total food intake.