Effect of fish oil supplementation and restricted feeding on body fat distribution and blood lipid profile in a rabbit model of castration-induced obesity

Abstract This study investigates the effect of fish oil supplementation and restricted feeding on body fat distribution and blood lipid profile in experimentally induced obesity in rabbits. The trial was carried out with 30 male rabbits, divided into 5 groups of 6 animals each (NC – non-castrated, non-treated, full-diet fed; C100 – castrated, non-treated, full-diet fed; FO100 – castrated, treated with fish oil, full-diet fed; C50 – castrated, non-treated, 50% restricted fed; FO50 – castrated, treated with fish oil, 50% restricted fed). At the end of the experiment, plasma lipids measurement and quantification of fat distribution was performed. The results of this study indicate that fish oil supplementation reduces obesity-associated abnormalities in lipid profile (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and non-esterified fatty acids) and in body fat distribution in full-diet fed rabbits. Restricted feeding (C50) alone and the combination of restricted feeding and fish oil supplementation (FO50) in particular, has a detrimental effect on the lipid profile despite the marked reduction in intra-abdominal fat.