Premium
Fat source affects growth of weanling rats fed high‐fat diets low in zinc
Author(s) -
Weigand E.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01114.x
Subject(s) - weanling , zinc , food science , chemistry , zoology , biology , endocrinology , organic chemistry
Summary In two 3‐week experiments with a 2‐factorial design, weanling rats were fed semi‐purified diets in which the zinc concentration was either suboptimal or adequate for maximum growth. In experiment 1, one low‐fat diet and four diets enriched with 26% beef tallow (BT), butterfat (BF), coconut oil or sunflower oil (SF) were compared. The low‐Zn SF diet did not support growth. The animals fed the high‐Zn SF diet had the lowest final weights among all other groups, and their serum and femur Zn concentrations were markedly depressed. In experiment 2, the low‐ and high‐Zn diets were enriched with 18% BT, SF, BT + SF (1:1 w/w), or olive oil (OL). Final live weights showed a Zn × fat source interaction. The low‐Zn SF and OL groups consumed less food and weighed less than the low‐Zn BT group. At the high‐Zn level, final weights were comparable among groups. Serum and femur Zn concentrations did not significantly vary among groups fed diets with the same Zn level. Possibilities for the growth‐retarding effect of the diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids (SF and OL) are discussed. Metabolic studies are needed to clarify the observed zinc × fat source interaction.