To administer the study, the group measured the weight and adipose tissue in obese mice. The mice were all males and purchased at the same age from the same place at the same time. The obesity of the purchased mice was diet-induced via one of three diets composed of 45% energy over a period of 12 weeks. There were 29 mice in the control group (soy protein only with limited fat), 30 mice in the high-calcium and high fat diet group, and 30 mice in the high-calcium and non-fat dairy milk group (NFDM on the graph). The results were determined by measuring the amount of body weight and adipose tissue in each of the group of mice as well as the energy intake.
The data collected is displayed below in two graphs. The body weight of the mice who were fed the high fat, high calcium diet was highest; they also had the most energy intake. The non-fat high calcium group had the median amount of energy intake but the lowest body weight. The control group of the experiment had the median body weight of the two groups and the lowest amount of energy intake, however it was very narrowly the lowest. The high calcium, high fat intake group had more fat and adipose tissue than the control group or the NFDM group. The study concluded that calcium directly does not affect the obesity of mice; however, calcium in combination with other factors does. The research group determined that another variable (in addition to calcium) must be causing the weight changes and tissue changes in the mice. The researchers suggest the a combination of non-fat dairy as well as high calcium contribute to lower weights and lower adipose tissue.
This study and its conclusions make sense to me. Since the mice were treated with non-fat, basic fat, and high-fat dairy intake, the fat is the most likely the additional cause of the weight variations along with the calcium. If high calcium and high fat are both included in the animal's diet, it seems to me that the elevated fat would cause increases in weight as well as adipose tissue, not the calcium. The study's results support this as the mice with non-fat, high calcium diets had the lowest body weight. My thoughts as well as their evidence lead me to conclude that fat is the primary cause of the weight variations (gains and losses) of the mice in association with calcium. It would be interesting to see if humans react the same way. An experiment measuring the levels of fat, weight, and adipose tissue as well as heath risks discussed in Tuesday's blog would be very interesting.
See graphs below:
Nutrition & Metabolism, 2012. Research. A high calcium diet containing nonfat dry milk reduces weight gain and associated adipose tissue inflammation in diet-induced obese mice when compared to high calcium alone. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-9-3
No comments:
Post a Comment