Obesity has been significantly increasing worldwide, and environmental factors such as excessive food intake and sedentary lifestyle are the main factors related to the genesis of this disease. In laboratory animals, the genesis of obesity is related mostly to genetic mutations, but this model is far from that found in humans. The use of hypercaloric or hyperlipidemic diets has been used as a model of obesity induction in animals, because of its similarity to the genesis and metabolic responses caused by obesity in humans. The objective of this review is to show the different types of diets used to induce obesity in rodents, the induced metabolic alterations, and to identify some points that should be taken into account so that the model can be effective for the study of obesity-related complications. A search was performed in the PubMed database using the following keywords: 1- "hypercaloric diet" AND "rodent", 2- "hyperlipidic diet" AND "rodent", selecting those considered the most relevant according to the following criteria: date of publication (1995-2011); the use of wild-type animals; detailed description of the diet used and analysis of biochemical and vascular parameters of interest. References were included to introduce subjects such as the increased prevalence of obesity and questions related to the genesis of obesity in humans. The model of diet-induced obesity in rodents can be considered effective when the objective is the study of the physiopathology of metabolic and vascular complications associated with obesity.
To evaluate the effects of exercise sessions, three times a week, and taurine supplementation on blood concentration of glucose, triglycerides and TBARS. Twenty male Wistar rats were divided: sedentary (SD); sedentary taking taurine (SD+TAU); trained (TR) and trained taking taurine (TR+TAU). Exercise training and taurine supplementation (drinking water at 2%) started after four weeks of high caloric diet consumption and was carried out for further five weeks. Animals exercised at a treadmill (20 m/min), 60 min, 3 days/week. Insulin tolerance test (ITT) was done and KITT calculated. After an overnight fasting, rats were sacrificed and glucose, triglycerides, and TBARS concentrations were measured by commercial kits. Data were analyzed by two‐way ANOVA (p<0.05). Exercise protocol improved performance about 45% in booth trained groups. Exercise or taurine, per se, reduced triglycerides (40%,77% and 67% for SD+TAU, TR and TR+TAU, respectively) and augmented KITT (16%,20% and 26% SD+TAU, TR and TR+TAU). TBARS was reduced only in SD+TAU (33%) and TRD+TAU (29%). None differences were seen on body weight and in blood glucose. In conclusion, taurine supplementation, as physical exercise 3 days a week, improves metabolic profile in high caloric fed‐rats, except for oxidative stress biomarker. Financial support: FAPESP
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