Abstract
Feeding patterns have been studied in 10 adult male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) adapted to primate restraint chairs for physiological studies. Using an automated computer-monitored liquid diet feeding system, feeding behavior was studied under 8 hour and 24 hour feeding schedules. Calorie/kg intake was significantly reduced with the 8 hour schedule ( p<0.05). Average rate of weight gain and feeding efficiency were also lower with 8 hour feeding, but not significantly different from 24 hour ad lib feeding ( p>0.10). Meal size was negatively correlated with meal frequency across monkeys, but not within monkeys. Although monkeys ingested 78% of their voluntary intake during the light hours, there was no difference in meal size, meal duration, or rate of feeding between light and dark periods. With feeding restricted to 8 hours during the light period, meal size was positively correlated with the length of the interval preceding the meal in 4 of 6 monkeys, and meal size was also positively correlated with length of the postmeal interval in 3 of 6 monkeys. In contrast, 24 hour ad lib fed monkeys showed no relationship between premeal interval and subsequent meal size, but a positive correlation between meal size and postmeal interval in 3 of 4 monkeys. We conclude that feeding schedule or deprivation state may alter the relative roles of “hunger” and “satiety” signals in regulating food intake amounts and patterns.
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