Effects of Hypercaloric Diet and Physical Exercise on Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish are becoming a valid model for investigating obesity and its associated disorders within a scientific context. The comprehension of the metabolic parameters linked to heightened body mass, adiposity, and energy expenditure stands as an indispensable endeavor in unraveling metabolic requisites among vertebrates. In this particular investigation, a cohort of 48 zebrafish specimens was scrutinized to determine the impact of physical exercise when subjected to a hypercaloric diet. The subjects were categorized into four distinct groups, each group respectively assigned to maintenance diets (GM, n=12, and GMex, n=12) or hypercaloric diets (GH, n=12, and GHex, n=12), with or without concurrent engagement in physical exercise. Applying a one-way ANOVA, with a significance level of P ≤ 0.05, the results revealed noteworthy findings. Among the GMex group, regarding body mass, a statistically significant variance was observed during the initial week (0.30g ± 0.10). This disparity demonstrated a reduction of 30.83% in the subsequent week, 33.59% in the fourth week, and 40.01% in the sixth week. Similarly, within the GH group, the analysis of variance unveiled significant deviations in body mass (in grams) from the inception of the study (0.32g ± 0.07), in comparison to measurements from the sixth through the thirteenth weeks. The GHex group exhibited significant differences in body mass between the first week (0.27g ± 0.08) and the subsequent weeks, extending until the thirteenth week. Furthermore, discernible variations in the length (in centimeters) of the zebrafish specimens were recorded, with statistical significance observed from the ninth (3.29cm ± 0.33) to the thirteenth weeks (3.61cm ± 0.33). The implementation of a hypercaloric diet yielded an augmentation in body mass. Additionally, the combination of this dietary regimen with physical exercise further contributed to an augmentation in the length of the zebrafish specimens. Collectively, the proposed model exhibited the capability to induce discernible metabolic effects, thereby enhancing our understanding of the intricate interplay between diet, exercise, and metabolic dynamics.