Food Intake Patterns Are Altered During Long-Term Zinc Deficiency in Rats

Rats experience anorexia and reduction or cessation in growth after being provided a zinc-deficient diet. While zinc deficient, intake levels may be reduced 50% or more compared to control rats. In the present report, diurnal food intake patterns of male Sprague–Dawley rats were measured during zinc deficiency. In Study 1, rats consuming a modified AIN-93 diet were tested during the dark phase using an automated food weighing system. In zinc-deficient animals (Zn−), the onset of the first meal of the dark phase was delayed compared to zinc-adequate rats (Zn+; 106 ± 47 vs. 23 ± 5 min; p < 0.05) and the number of meals consumed during the dark phase was reduced in Zn− vs. Zn+ rats (3.9 ± 0.5 vs 7.1 ± 0.4; p < 0.05). In Study 2, diurnal food intake patterns were tested using a three-choice macronutrient self-selection paradigm of carbohydrate-, protein-, and fat-containing diets made deficient or adequate in zinc (1 or 30 mg Zn/kg diet). Food intake was recorded in the early-, mid-, late-dark period (4 h each) and light period (12 h). Carbohydrate intake was 70% of total intake of both Zn+ and Zn− rats during the first 5 days, but decreased significantly to 50% in the Zn− group during the last 5 days. Fat intake increased significantly in the Zn− group during the last 5 days. This increase was the result of 4 of 15 Zn− rats increasing their intake of fat significantly. Results of this study indicate that zinc status alters dark phase and macronutrient selection patterns by delaying consumption of the initial meal of the dark phase, reducing the average meal number and by changing the dominant macronutrient preference of some Zn− rats.