Search

Three commercial laboratory mouse chows were fed to C57BL/KsJ db+/db+ diabetic mutants to evaluate the influence of diet on the development of diabetes. Since these mice are hyperphagic, feeding both restricted and ad libitum quantities was used to distinguish the quantitative from qualitative aspects of the diets. Over a 9 week feeding period, measurements were made of body weight, food consumption, and response to an intraperitoneal glucose challenge (GTT). Diabetic mutants allowed to feed ad libitum exhibited increased weight gain and a more advanced diabetic condition (as revealed by GTT) after only 3 weeks on Agway brand chow when compared to mice consuming the other two diets. Diabetic mutants fed restricted amounts of the three chow brands had a similar pattern of response but GTT differences did not become evident until 6 weeks on Agway, suggesting both qualitative and quantitative effects of diet on diabetes onset. The results show different responses to standard chow diets and illustrate the influence of the host genotype on the effects of a given diet. It also emphasizes the need for accurate reporting of the type of chow diet being used.