Growth of Rats on High Fat and Low Fat Diets, Deficient in the Essential Unsaturated Fatty Acids

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Abstract
On a diet of casein, salt mixture, dried yeast and the fat, elaidin, supplemented with vitamins A and D, rats cease growing when only about 100 gm. in weight. After several weeks at constant weight they go into a decline and die. Since growth and health are readily restored by feeding a little corn oil, the impairment in growth is attributed to a severe deficiency of the essential unsaturated fatty acids. Replacement of the elaidin by sucrose also results in a rapid and extensive gain in weight. A similar, though smaller, gain occurs when the elaidin diet is replaced by one rich in carbohydrate and very poor in fat. It is concluded that the better growth of rats on a high carbohydrate than on a high fat diet, both equally poor in essential fatty acids, is due, in part at least, to the synthesis of the fatty acids necessary for growth. An increase in the requirement of essential fatty acids by rats on a high fat diet may also contribute to the poor growth obtained.

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