Effects of high‐fat diet on metabolic parameters and exercise performance of young and adult rats

Abstract

Background and purposeHigh fat diet (HFD) decreases mitochondrial function and impairs metabolic characteristics in animals. Interestingly, it has been shown that the very young animals are more resistant to the HFD‐induced mitochondria impairment than young animals. Since the function of mitochondria and the metabolic characteristics are associated with the exercise performance of animals, it is interesting to know whether the negative influence of HFD on exercise performance and metabolic characteristics is less in young animals compared to adult animals.MethodYoung (4‐month‐old) and adult (9‐month‐old) rats were randomized into regular chow diet (control) and HFD groups and received respective diet intervention for 14 weeks. Body weight (BW), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and exercise performance including grip test, Rota‐rod test, and treadmill running test were determined at baseline, after 7 weeks and after 14 weeks of intervention.ResultRats, both young and adult, fed with HFD showed greater increase of BW and SBP and less increase of normalized grip strength than control groups after 7 weeks and 14 weeks of diet intervention. Treadmill running time was found significant decreased in both young and adult rats on HFD for 14 weeks.ConclusionHFD has negative effects on BW, SBP and exercise performance not only in adult but also in young animals.