Avaliação dos efeitos do jejum intermitente associado ou não à suplementação com óleo de coco (Cocos nucifera L.) em ratos obesos

Abstract

Obesity is a public health problem related to endocrine, metabolic, neurobehavioral and body composition abnormalities. Some of the nutritional intervention methods for the treatment of this disease appear to have little long-term effectiveness. In this context, the aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of three different nutritional strategies in the treatment of obesity, focusing on the assessment of somatic, metabolic, histological and behavioral parameters of Wistar rats. Fifty rats were randomized into five groups: control (CG), obese (OG), obese submitted to intermittent fasting (OIF), obese submitted to intermittent fasting associated with coconut oil supplementation (1g / kg weight; OIFCO); and obese submitted to caloric restriction (OCR). The experiment lasted 17 weeks, being 13 weeks of obesity induction with an additional 4 weeks of intervention. The CG consumed a standard diet throughout the experiment, while the other groups (OG, OIF, OIFCO and OCR) consumed a diet rich in mono and disaccharides. Weight and consumption were assessed weekly. In the last week, behavioral tests and glucose tolerance (GTT) and insulin (ITT) tests were performed. At the end of the experiment, murinometric parameters were measured, followed by euthanasia and analyzes of lipid profile, brain and adipose tissue histology and the body composition of the rats. Rats with higher adiposity and fat mass and adipocyte hypertrophy were considered obese when compared to control ones. The experimental diet was anxiogenic, caused depressive-like behavior, glucose intolerance, increased total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), in addition to greater fat mass, adiposity index and adipocyte hypertrophy compared to CG. Dietary interventions were anxiolytic, but did not minimize depressive-like behavior in rats. All interventions reduced the adiposity index (OIF = 3±0,02 %; OIFCO = 3,29±0,18 % and OCR = 0,71±0,36 %), abdominal circumference (OIF = 17 ± 0.32 cm; OIFCO = 17.25 ± 0.69 cm and OCR = 15.83 ± 0.82 cm) and chest circumference (OIF = 14.08 ± 0.59; OIFCO = 14.67 ± 0.61 cm; OCR = 13.33 ± 0.41 cm), the body mass index (OIF = 0.54 ± 0.04 g/ cm2; OIFCO = 0.60 ± 0.02 g/ cm2; OCR = 0.53 ± 0.05 g/ cm2) and fat mass (OIF = 4, 46 ± 0.25 g; OIFCO = 3.82 ± 0.05 g and OCR = 1.91 ± 0.07 g), in addition to triglyceride levels (OIF = 126.3 ± 2.88 mg/ dL; OIFCO = 75.88 ± 1.88 mg/ dL and OCR = 23.89 ± 0.66 mg/ dL) and LDL (OIF = 14,39±0,19 mg/ dL; OIFCO = 7,81±0,68 mg/ dL and OCR = 14,02±0,78 mg/ dL) and increased glucose tolerance when compared to OG, however, they were not able to reverse adipocyte hypertrophy. Histological changes in the hippocampus have been observed in OIF and the OCR. Among the interventions, caloric restriction stood out in terms of improving somatic parameters and fasting associated with coconut oil supplementation (IFCO), in addition to improving somatic parameters, was the most effective intervention in reversing anxiety-like behavior and biochemical changes caused by obesity. In conclusion, the studied dietary interventions minimized the parameters of obesity and its comorbidities induced by the experimental diet, especially the IFCO, which can be promising as an adjuvant treatment for this disease