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Food and Water Economy of the Young Rat During Chronic Starvation and Recovery

Two Figures

Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, College Park

1. There was considerable variation in the ability of the rats to withstand sudden caloric restriction. Gradual reduction in the daily ration in early starvation eliminated mortalities and cognizance of adaptive differences carried out by individual weight losses and food ration adjustments made it possible later to maintain all animals on the same amount of food. The quantity of food necessary to maintain a constant body weight became less as underfeeding was continued.

2. The amount of water consumed by the starved rats was less than that consumed by fully fed rats of the same initial size, but was greater in proportion to the food intake.

3. Chronically starved rats absorbed more material from the food than did normal rats.

4. Anorexia did not develop as a result of chronic starvation, although during early re-alimentation the underfed rats consumed on the average slightly less food than normal rats of the same initial weight. The starved animals when refed accepted food with vigor, and the ingestion of large amounts appeared to have no ill-effects.

5. Animals consuming large amounts of food during realimentation exhibited a greater weight gain than those with lesser appetites.

6. Rats underfed for 30 days had a greater growth rate and food efficiency than normal rats of the same size. This effect was not seen in rats of the more prolonged starvation period of 90 days.