Comparison of body mass, food intake and plasma constituents in lean and obese Zucker rats under cold acclimation and deacclimation

Abstract

Male obese and lean Zucker rats, aged 7 weeks, were maintained at 25 °C for 11 weeks, at 10 °C for 11weeks or at 25 °C for 2 weeks following exposure to 10 °C for 9 weeks. The increase in food intake during cold exposure was much smaller in obese rats than in lean rats. The suppressive effect on body mass increment by cold acclimation was more profound in obese rats. In obese rats, the concentration of plasma triglycerides and insulin was lower during cold acclimation, and improvement in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism due to cold exposure was maintained during deacclimation.