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The Effects of High Sugar Diets on the Growth and Structure of the Rat

(From the Department of Anatomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis)

1. Thirty-six rats were reared from time of weaning to nearly adult stage on balanced diets containing 45 per cent starch (controls), 45 per cent sucrose or 80 per cent sucrose. The rats all remained normal in health, vigor and external appearance.

2. Growth in body weight was normal, with no significant differences between the starch-fed (control) and the sugar-fed groups.

3. Reproduction appeared practically normal in the females, as shown by the time of vaginal opening, the estrus cycles, birth of litters, and lactation performance.

4. At autopsy, no abnormalities were found in body length, tail length, or gross appearance of the various regions, parts, or organs, excepting the liver. The middle ears and lungs are subject to infections, which were not more frequent in the sugar-fed than in the starch-fed (controls).

5. In weight, most of the various parts and organs appeared normal and nearly equal in the starch-fed (control) and sugar fed groups. Differences (usually of somewhat questionable significance) included, especially in the 80 per cent sugar-fed group, an apparent decrease in average weight of the hypophysis, and an increase in the intestines, kidneys, submaxillary glands, pancreas and (especially) the liver.

6. Incidentally it was found that in general the Long-Evans strain of pied (hybrid) rats, which was used in the present experiments, differs markedly from the Wistar norm in weight of the body and of certain organs.

7. A careful histological study of the various organs in both starchfed and sugar-fed rats revealed no significant abnormality of structure, excepting in the liver.

8. The liver in the 80 per cent sugar-fed group was enlarged, with (usually) more yellowish color and distinct surface lobulation. In histological sections most of this group showed marked fatty deposits in the glandular epithelium at the periphery of the lobules. In the other groups slighter amounts of fatty change frequently appeared, but more irregular in location, with no difference between the starch-fed and sugar-fed groups.

9. Caution should be exercised in applying the results of the present experiment to human diets.

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