| Abstract: | In experimental studies, several parameters, such as body weight, body mass index,
adiposity index, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, have commonly been used to
demonstrate increased adiposity and investigate the mechanisms underlying obesity and
sedentary lifestyles. However, these investigations have not classified the degree of
adiposity nor defined adiposity categories for rats, such as normal, overweight, and
obese. The aim of the study was to characterize the degree of adiposity in rats fed a
high-fat diet using cluster analysis and to create adiposity intervals in an
experimental model of obesity. Thirty-day-old male Wistar rats were fed a normal
(n=41) or a high-fat (n=43) diet for 15 weeks. Obesity was defined based on the
adiposity index; and the degree of adiposity was evaluated using cluster analysis.
Cluster analysis allowed the rats to be classified into two groups (overweight and
obese). The obese group displayed significantly higher total body fat and a higher
adiposity index compared with those of the overweight group. No differences in
systolic blood pressure or nonesterified fatty acid, glucose, total cholesterol, or
triglyceride levels were observed between the obese and overweight groups. The
adiposity index of the obese group was positively correlated with final body weight,
total body fat, and leptin levels. Despite the classification of sedentary rats into
overweight and obese groups, it was not possible to identify differences in the
comorbidities between the two groups. |
