WD and PS alter major biometric parameters
| Biometric parameter | Group | p Value | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDU | CDE | WDU | WDE | Diet | PS | Interaction | |
| Body weight (g) | 429 ± 7.6 | 461 ± 3.6 | 462 ± 13.6 | 506 ± 4.3*,*** | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.409 |
| Food consumption (kcal/d) | 72 ± 5.4 | 84 ± 3.8 | 84 ± 1.3 | 98 ± 1.4*,*** | 0.002 | 0.001 | 0.749 |
| Corticosterone (ng/0.5 g feces) | 8.2 ± 1.7 | 7.6 ± 1.5 | 6.8 ± 0.7 | 7.1 ± 0.5 | 0.206 | 0.827 | 0.505 |
| FBG (mg/dl) | 137 ± 4.7 | 134 ± 7.5 | 165 ± 9.2 | 137 ± 7.8 | 0.087 | 0.086 | 0.170 |
| PBG (mg/dl) | 127 ± 9.4 | 167 ± 8.8**** | 129 ± 5.1 | 109 ± 4.7*** | 0.002 | 0.199 | 0.001 |
| Plasma leptin (pg/ml) | 612 ± 82.8 | 603 ± 163.7 | 1211 ± 257.6 | 1553 ± 282.2*** | 0.006 | 0.481 | 0.459 |
| Plasma triglycerides (mg/dl) | 626 ± 18.1 | 581 ± 37.7 | 679 ± 35.7 | 643 ± 38.9 | 0.116 | 0.252 | 0.900 |
The rats that consumed the WD showed significant alterations in body weight and food consumption when compared with animals consuming the CD (n = 12–16 rats/group). Exposure to traumatic stress (F(1,24) = 25.12; p < 0.0001) and WD consumption (F(1,24) = 25.81, p < 0.0001) increased body weights. No interactions were observed between traumatic stress and diet (F(1,24) = 0.71, p = 0.40). Notably, we found that the rats that consumed the WD showed a significant increase in caloric intake (PS: F(1,10) = 18.96, p = 0.0014; diet: F(1,10) = 13.99, p = 0.0038; PS × diet interaction: F(1,10) = 0.086, p = 0.78; n = at least 6 cages/group; 2 rats per cage). We found no significant differences in FBG levels between the diet and stress groups (PS: F(1,24) = 3.20, p = 0.086; diet: F(1,24) = 3.18, p = 0.087; interaction: F(1,24) = 2.01, p = 0.17). However, we found significant main effect interactions in PBG levels (PS: F(1,24) = 0.0016, p = 0.97; diet: F(1,24) = 2.03, p = 0.17; interaction: F(1,24) = 11.66, p = 0.0023; n = 12–16 rats/group). The WD and PS did not alter corticosterone (CORT) levels (diet effect: F(1,24) = 1.69, p = 0.21; PS: F(1,24) = 0.049, p = 0.0.83); interaction: F(1,24) = 0.46, p = 0.51; n = 12-13 rats/group). Values are presented as the mean ± SEM. The diet type had a significant effect on plasma leptin levels (diet: F(1,11) = 11.53, p = 0.0060; PS: F(1,11) = 0.53, p = 0.48; interaction F(1,11) = 0.59, p = 0.46). Post hoc testing revealed that WDE rats had significantly higher plasma leptin levels when compared with those of CDE rats (p = 0.0456). Interestingly, plasma triglyceride levels were not affected by the diet and stress exposure (diet: F(1,12) = 2.87, p = 0.12; PS: F(1,12) = 1.45, p = 0.25; interaction F(1,12) = 0.016, p = 0.90). Bold denotes statistically significant effects.
*p < 0.05.
***p < 0.001.
****p < 0.0001.