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Caloric Intake, Weight Loss and Changes in Body Composition of Rats as Influenced by Feeding Frequency¹

Division of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Medicine, Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois

The relationship between the effects of caloric intake levels and feeding frequency on body composition was studied during a weight reduction regimen for obese rats. After rats had been made obese by force-feeding excess calories, they were allowed to ingest their food ad libitum or were pair-force-fed against a control. The rats with free access to food ate sparingly until a body weight consistent with their age and sex was achieved; at this time, the food intake increased to approximate "normal" with consequent slow gain in body weight. The force-fed animals not only tended to lose less and regain more weight than their partner eating ad libitum but, in addition, the rats fed by tube ended the experiment containing more body fat and less protein and water. Starvation for 7 days before food availability did not affect final body weight or body composition. When the amount of food eaten was restricted in amount, there was no influence of feeding frequency on the rate of weight loss and on body composition. The results suggest that there is some "threshold" quantity of caloric intake that must be exceeded if changes in body composition, which result from differences in the periodicity of food intake, are to be observed.

Manuscript received 22 March 1968.