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Wheel running in female C57BL/6J mice: impact of oestrus and dietary fat and effects on sleep and body mass

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, pages 212–218 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To examine the impact of two diets differing in fat content and of wheel-running exercise on body mass.

Methods:

A total of 32 female C57BL/6J mice were assigned to either a high-fat (HF, 41% of dietary energy as fat) or low-fat (LF, 11% of dietary energy as fat) diet (16 per diet, individually housed). Eight mice from each diet group were housed with running wheels. Non-running mice were housed in similar cages, without wheels. Total cage activity (including non-exercise physical activity +wheel running) and sleep time were also measured using an infra-red-sensing device. Oestrus stage of the wheel-running mice was assessed daily for 17 days.

Results:

After 8 weeks, HF mice were significantly heavier than LF mice (P=0.004), but there was no detectable difference in body fat mass. Wheel-running mice tended to have a lower body mass than non-running controls (P=0.056). Voluntary cage activity was greater in LF control mice than HF control mice, and in wheel-running mice compared with non-wheel-running mice. HF control mice slept more than LF control mice. Stage of oestrus was significantly correlated with running distance, with mice running farthest in the immediate preoestrus phase and least immediately after oestrus.

Conclusion:

This study shows that HF diets in female C57BL/6J mice may increase sleep time similar to the effect of daytime sleepiness observed in obese humans.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the World Cancer Research Fund for financial support (Project number 2001/38), Adele Kitching and Sandra Hogg for care of the animals and Fiona MacLachlan for help with the body composition analysis. L Basterfield designed the study, collected and analysed data and wrote the paper. L Lumley collected and analysed data and JC Mathers designed the study, supervised the project and wrote the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    L Basterfield

  2. Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    L K Lumley & J C Mathers

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  1. L Basterfield
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  2. L K Lumley
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  3. J C Mathers
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Correspondence to L Basterfield or J C Mathers.

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Basterfield, L., Lumley, L. & Mathers, J. Wheel running in female C57BL/6J mice: impact of oestrus and dietary fat and effects on sleep and body mass. Int J Obes 33, 212–218 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.253

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