Diet, Overfeeding, and Moderate Dietary Restriction in Control Sprague-Dawley Rats: II. Effects on Age-Related Proliferative and Degenerative Lesions

This study compared the effects of ad libitum (AL) overfeeding and moderate dietary restriction (DR) of 2 different diets on Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat survival and spontaneous, age-related proliferative and degenerative lesions. SD rats were fed Purina Rodent Chow 5002 or a modified Rodent Chow 5002-9 containing lower protein, fat, metabolizable energy, and increased fiber by AL or by DR at 65% of the AL amount by measurement or time (6.5 hr). At 106 wk, rats fed the 5002-9 diet AL did not have significantly improved survival over rats fed the 5002 diet AL. The 5002 diet fed DR by time (6.5 hr) improved survival for males but not females. Only DR by measurement of both diets resulted in lower mortality for both sexes. By 106 wk rats fed either diet by AL had the same brain weights as DR fed rats, but AL fed rats had greater body weight, body fat content, and increased heart, lung, kidney, liver, adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary weights that correlated with an increased incidence and severity of degenerative ...