Examination of the Self-Starvation Phenomenon

Rats on restricted feeding schedules are able to maintain a stable body weight by reducing activity output. It has been found, however, that if rats on restricted feeding schedules are given access to activity wheels, activity increases and food intake decreases which results in severe gastric ulceration and death. The present study re-examined results which suggested food palabability (wet versus dry chow) was a significant factor in self-starvation. In addition, all prior research examining the self-starvation phenomenon (with only one exception using hamsters) fed nocturnal rodents during the normally non-active light portion of their daily cycle. The results indicated that palatability ameliorated the starvation effect and interacted with the light/dark manipulation in that animals fed during their active phase reached the starvation criterion earlier.