DIETARY-FAT AND ADIPOSITY - A DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP IN ADULT MALE-RATS FED ISOCALORICALLY

This study examined the effects of increasing levels of dietary fat fe d isocalorically on body weight, body composition, and adipose distrib ution. Adult male rats were weight matched into four groups. One group that was fed a low-fat diet (12%) served as reference controls. The o ther three groups were fed diets of 24, 36, or 48% fat in amounts to e qual the energy intake of the control group. After 6 wk, body weights of the four groups were not significantly different. Intrascapular bro wn fat did not differ between groups. Total body fat and adipose depot weights, however, increased in proportion to the level of fat in the diet. Total body fat and retroperitoneal and mesenteric depot weights of the 48% fat group were greater than controls (P < 0.05). Mesenteric fat in this group was also significantly increased over all other gro ups (P < 0.05). These results show that high-fat diets fed to adult an imals cause increased body fat in the absence of significant changes i n body weight and that mesenteric fat is increased disproportionately.