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Changes in Body Composition in Rats Fed Natural Imbalanced Diets¹

Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Weanling rats were fed ad libitum for 2 weeks diets containing natural proteins — wheat gluten and defatted whole egg — mixed in different amounts to produce balanced or imbalanced dietary protein patterns. Basal diets contained only defatted whole egg having the same level of "complete protein" as the corresponding imbalanced ones. Rats fed imbalanced proteins showed a gain in weight per gram of total protein intake lower than those fed basal diets, but higher when gain in weight was referred to "complete protein" consumed; however, they had a diminished body protein content concurrently with an increased body water percentage. Thus, the values for the ratios of body nitrogen to body water were lower in rats fed imbalanced than balanced proteins. Hence, "apparent age" of imbalanced rats (the age corresponding to normally maturing animals having the same values for the ratio of body nitrogen to water) was lower not only than their chronological age at the end of experiment but also than that at zero-time; it seems as if the normal process of chemical maturation had been inverted by feeding the imbalanced diets. Hematocrit value, carcass glycogen and liver protein were higher in rats fed imbalanced than balanced diets; the sum of body lipid plus water was similar for all the groups. The changes in the content and in the distribution of body water here described show some similarity with alterations in body composition found in protein-malnourished children.

² This paper is part of a thesis by María E. Rio, to be presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor's degree of the University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Manuscript received 9 May 1969.