Comparison of the effects of cafeteria diet and high fat diet on some biochemical parameters associated with obesity in rats

This study aimed to evaluate possible distinctive effects of cafeteria diet (CAF) and high fat diet (HF) on rats' food consumption, obesity and biochemical parameters. 18 male 3-week old Wistar rats were included in the study and divided into 3 groups. Rats were fed with a control diet (C) (n=6), HF (n=6) or CAF (n=6) for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, euthanasia was administered to the rats, blood and tissue samples were taken and tissue weights were recorded. Body composition and related biochemical parameters were analyzed. Food consumption levels were significantly higher in the CAF than in the C and HF. In the HF group, food intake was significantly lower than the C group (C: 20,39±0,88 g/day, CAF: 37,26±0,88 g/day, HF: 15,11±0,88 g/day, p<0,001). The effect of the study weeks on food consumption was significant (p=0,018). Energy intakes were significantly higher in the CAF than in the C and HF, but not significantly different between HF and C (C: 53,01±3,44 kcal/day, CAF: 163,83±3,44 kcal/day, HF: 61,26±3,44 kcal/day, p<0,001). There was no significant effect of study weeks on energy intake (p>0,05). Weekly body weight gain was significantly higher in the CAF than in the C and HF, but significantly lower in the HF than in the C (C: 21,01±1,24 g/week, CAF: 27,56±1,24 g/week, HF: 15,97±1,24 g/week, p<0,001). The study week also had a significant effect on weekly body weight gain (p<0,001). Body fat ratio was found to be significantly higher in the CAF than in the C and HF, but no significant difference was observed between the HF and C (C: %26,7±1,7, CAF: %40,67±2,06, HF: %23,02±1,37, p<0,001). Plasma glucose (p>0,05), insulin (p>0,05) and triglyceride (TG) levels (p>0,05) were similar among the study groups. Plasma leptin levels were significantly higher in the CAF than in the C and HF, but not significantly different between the HF and C (C: 1,93±0,19 ng/ml, CAF: 7,24±1,19 ng/ml, HF: 1,57±0,05 ng/ml p<0,001). Plasma total cholesterol (TC) levels (C: 148,65±11,05 mg/dl, CAF: 184,57±6,18 mg/dl, HF: 172,93±4 mg/dl, p=0,014) and liver TG levels (C: 7,78±0,26 mg/g liver, CAF: 8,73±0,28 mg/g liver, HF: 8,62±0,22 mg/g liver, p=0,038) were significantly higher in the CAF than in the C, but no significant difference was observed between CAF and HF. In conclusion, this study showed that CAF, which consisted of a variety of highly palatable human foods and chow diet, was a more robust model for inducing hyperphagia and obesity in young rats. It has been determined that CAF which is a similar model to human Western diets, exerted a more pronounced obesity-related biochemical and metabolic changes than HF.