FACTORS INFLUENCING COMPENSATORY FEEDING DURING PARENTERAL-NUTRITION IN RATS

During parenteral nutrition (PN) there is an incomplete compensatory d ecrease in oral caloric intake. The effects of two factors influencing nutrient utilization, diurnal timing of PN infusion and composition o f available diet, on compensatory feeding were investigated in male ra ts receiving 100% of daily caloric need as PN (PN-100). Compensation f or infused calories increased from 70 to 80% (P < 0.05) when the timin g of infused kilocalories more closely matched diurnal pattern of oral kilocalories intake (e.g., 75% kcal daily during the dark phase, 25% during the light phase). There was a similar degree of compensation wh en the diet and PN-100 had the same caloric distribution (50% kcal fro m carbohydrate, 30% from fat, and 20% from protein). Adjusting the diu rnal timing of infused calories and diet composition concurrently furt her increased compensation for infused calories from 70 to 90% (P < 0. 05). In the rat PN-100 model, compensation for infused calories is imp roved by adjusting the temporal pattern of infusions and diet composit ion.