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Virginia Tech

Dietary Fat and Sugar Induce Obesity and Impair Glucose Tolerance in Prepubertal Pigs

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

A pig model of childhood obesity was used to study the effects of dietary energy on body adiposity, and blood parameters associated with impaired glucose clearance. Prepubertal female pigs weaned at 21 d of age were fed control (CON), refined sugar (SUG), fat (FAT), and sugar-fat (SUGFAT) diets in a completely randomized arrangement for 16 wk. Calories from fat were 8.9% for CON, 5.6% for SUG, 35.5% for FAT and 32.3% for SUGFAT. Calories from sugar were 36.0% for SUG and 30.7% for SUGFAT. Adding fat, sugar or both to diets increased (P < 0.003) calorie intake. Percentage body fat was higher (P < 0.0001) in all treatments compared to CON, and in SUGFAT and FAT compared to SUG. Ultrasound back fat depth was positively correlated (r2 = 0.909; P < 0.001) with percentage body fat and negatively (r = 0.912; P-value ) with percentage body protein. Area under the curve (AUC) in response to oral glucose tolerance at 14 wk was higher (P < 0.03) in FAT (+14.6%) and SUGFAT (+25.5%) pigs compared to CON. Glucose AUC from sugar-fed pigs was not different (P = 0.2) from fat alone-fed pigs. Adding sugar, fat, or their combination to diets increased (P < 0.008) blood glucose and decreased (P < 0.0009) plasma insulin AUC. These data show that inclusion of fat and refined sugar in pig diets increases body adiposity and impairs glucose homeostasis and suggests that the composition of calories consumed may have different effects than simply consumption of excess of calories.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Animal and Poultry Sciences
Department dc:contributor.department
Animal and Poultry Sciences
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2012

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • van Eyk, Gregory Ryan
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Escobar, Jeffery
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Gerrard, David E.
  • Jiang, Honglin
  • Scheffler, Jason M.

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-05162012-233514
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32892

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

van Eyk, Gregory Ryan. Dietary Fat and Sugar Induce Obesity and Impair Glucose Tolerance in Prepubertal Pigs. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32892