Examination of a novel dietary fiber formulation on morphology and nutritional physiology of young male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high fat diet

Western diets are a public health concern as excess intake of simple sugars and fatty foods, and consequently low consumption of fruits and vegetables, can contribute to obesity and other chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Due to the high prevalence of diseases related to Western diets, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether the inclusion of a novel fiber-rich complex could prevent high fat diet-induced weight gain, adiposity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress in young male Sprague-Dawley rats, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>. The novel fiber complex contained a blend of bioactive ingredients: 27% flaxseed, 15.9% wheat bran, 14.8% wheat germ, 10% psyllium, 13.1% brewer's yeast, and 19.2% grapeseed flour. The study included 24 6-week-old rats divided into three groups that were fed either a control diet (C; standard rodent maintenance diet) containing fiber (3.8%g diet); high-fat diet (H) containing Solka Floc cellulose fiber (6.46%g diet); or high-fat diet in which 5% of the diet was replaced with the novel fiber complex (HF) (total fiber: 5%g fiber complex + 6.14%g Solka Floc). Rats in all diet groups gained significant weight during the 6-week feeding period (<i>p</i> < 0.001) consistent with normal growth. Whereas no differences were observed for blood lipids or beta-hydroxybutyrate, consumption of the H diet significantly increased adiposity (<i>p</i> < 0.001), liver triglycerides (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and fasting whole blood glucose concentrations (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in comparison to the C diet. These effects of high fat consumption were not prevented by the inclusion of the novel fiber complex in this experimental design.