Influence of Periodicity of Eating on Energy Metabolism in the Rat

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Abstract
Previous studies had shown that rats having access to food for a single daily 2-hour period (meal-fed) utilized their food for weight gain more efficiently than ad libitum-fed (nibbling) rats. This observation suggested that the energy expenditure of meal-fed animals was reduced. In the studies reported the spontaneous activity of meal-fed and nibbling rats was determined during the day (8 AM to 4:30 PM) and night (4:30 PM to 8 AM). Meal-fed animals had a significantly lower level of activity than the nibbling rats, particularly during the evening hours when activity was reduced by 57%. The basal oxygen consumption and heat production were not reduced in meal-fed animals. These data are interpreted as showing that the greater feed efficiency of the meal-fed rat is the result of a reduced activity level and consequently energy expenditure. The similarities between the obese human and meal-fed rat are discussed.