DEPRIVATION ALTERS RATS FLAVOR PREFERENCES FOR CARBOHYDRATES AND FATS

The effects of food deprivation on rats' preferences for the flavors o f different macronutrients were investigated. To minimize postingestiv e influences on flavor preferences, brief test sessions (30 min) and c alorically dilute (0.08 kcal/g) solutions or suspensions were used. Th e findings revealed that whereas nondeprived rats preferred sucrose (2 %) to hyrolyzed starch (2% Polycose), food-deprived rats strongly pref erred Polycose to sucrose. Deprived rats also acquired a preference fo r a cue flavor paired with Polycose, while nondeprived rats preferred a sucrose-paired cue flavor. Food deprivation also caused rats to swit ch their preferences from sucrose to com starch, and from sucrose to c om oil. Food deprivation did not, however, alter the rats' preference for Polycose over corn starch, and it blocked, but did not reverse, th eir preference for Polycose over corn oil. Taken together, the finding s indicate that food deprivation enhances the preference for palatable nonsweet nutrients (Polycose, corn starch, corn oil) over a sweet nut rient (sucrose). This effect was specific to food deprivation; water d eprivation did not reverse the rats' preference for sucrose to Polycos e.