QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Online Supplemental Material All Versions of this Article: 139/5/855    most recent jn.108.103085v1 Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vasconcellos, R. S. Articles by Carciofi, A. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vasconcellos, R. S. Articles by Carciofi, A. C.

---

Nutrient Physiology, Metabolism, and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions

Protein Intake during Weight Loss Influences the Energy Required for Weight Loss and Maintenance in Cats^1–3,

⁴ Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, 14884-900 Jaboticabal-São Paulo, Brazil; ⁵ Universidade Federal de Goiás, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, 74030-970 Goiânia-Goiás, Brazil; and ⁶ Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, 14001-970 Ribeirão Preto-São Paulo, Brazil

The effects of 2 diets with different protein contents on weight loss and subsequent maintenance was assessed in obese cats. The control group [Co; n = 8; body condition score (BCS) = 8.6 ± 0.2] received a diet containing 21.4 g crude protein (CP)/MJ of metabolizable energy and the high-protein group (HP; n = 7; BCS = 8.6 ± 0.2) received a diet containing 28.4 g CP/MJ until the cats achieved a 20% controlled weight loss (0.92 ± 0.2%/wk). After the weight loss, the cats were all fed a diet containing 28.0 g CP/MJ at an amount sufficient to maintain a constant body weight (MAIN) for 120 d. During weight loss, there was a reduction of lean mass in Co (P < 0.01) but not in HP cats and a reduction in leptinemia in both groups (P < 0.01). Energy intake per kilogram of metabolic weight (kg^–0.40) to maintain the same rate of weight loss was lower (P < 0.04) in the Co (344 ± 15.9 kJ·kg^–0.40·d^–1) than in the HP group (377 ± 12.4 kJ·kg^–0.40·d^–1). During the first 40 d of MAIN, the energy requirement for weight maintenance was 398.7 ± 9.7 kJ·kg^–0.40·d^–1 for both groups, corresponding to 73% of the NRC recommendation. The required energy gradually increased in both groups (P < 0.05) but at a faster rate in HP; therefore, the energy consumption during the last 40 d of the MAIN was higher (P < 0.001) for the HP cats (533.8 ± 7.4 kJ·kg^–0.40·d^–1) than for the control cats (462.3 ± 9.6 kJ·kg^–0.40·d^–1). These findings suggest that HP diets allow a higher energy intake to weight loss in cats, reducing the intensity of energy restriction. Protein intake also seemed to have long-term effects so that weight maintenance required more energy after weight loss.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: aulus.carciofi{at}gmail.com.

Manuscript received 2 December 2008. Initial review completed 21 December 2008. Revision accepted 4 February 2009.

Published online 4 March 2009.