Viscous dietary fibers reduce visceral adiposity, lower oxidative stress and improve glucose control in ZDF rats

Abstract

Viscous dietary fibers have been shown to blunt the postprandial rise in blood glucose. Previous studies in this lab have suggested that viscous dietary fibers decrease adiposity in rats with little or no change in body weight. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of consumption of viscous dietary fibers, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and β‐glucans (Sustagrain), in an obese diabetic rat model. Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats and their lean counterparts (n=12) were fed diets containing either 5% non‐viscous cellulose, low viscosity (LV) HPMC, high viscosity (HV) HPMC or 40% Sustagrain flour. After 6 weeks of feeding, the HV HPMC group had a reduced percentage epididymal fat pad weight (visceral fat) compared to the other ZDF groups, but no differences in percentage inguinal (subcutaneous) fat pad weights were found. Fasting plasma leptin did not differ among the ZDF groups. Rats fed HPMC and Sustagrain had lower percent glycated hemoglobin and kidney weights than the cellulose group, indicating improved glycemic control. Urinary 8‐isoprostane concentrations in the ZDF cellulose, LV HPMC and Sustagrain groups were significantly higher than the lean group, but HV HPMC and lean groups did not differ. These results indicate that consumption of viscous dietary fiber can lower visceral adiposity and oxidative stress and improve diabetic control in ZDF rats. (Supported by the MN Agric Exp Station)Grant Funding Source: MN Agric Exp Station/CHE Administative Fund