THE EFFECTS OF DIETARY LIPIDS, ALCOHOL AND EXERCISE ON VARIOUS BLOOD AND TISSUE CONSTITUENTS IN THE ADULT RA

A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted using adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to determine the effects of a high fat (20% by weight) beef tallow (BT) or corn oil (CO) diet, exercise (E) or no-exercise (NE) and an alcohol (a one milliliter solution of a 14.85% w/v ethanol solution providing 1.05 kcal/ml/day) (A) or no-alcohol (NA) regimen on various blood and tissue constituents. No significant differences were observed in weight gain or feed intake for the main effects (diet, exercise or alcohol) or for their interactions. Weight gain was not significantly different between rats that ate the beef tallow or corn oil diets. Nor were there significant differences between exercised or sedentary rats. Rats that ingested alcohol had weight gains that were not significantly different from rats that received an isocaloric solution of dextrose. Liver and kidney weight (g/100 g body wt) were not significantly different for any variables tested. Heart weight was greater (P < 0.05) and epididymal fat pad weight were less (P < 0.05) in groups that consumed alcohol. Fat pad weight was lower (P < 0.10) in exercised rats than in non-exercised animals.;Diet significantly altered total serum lipids, serum triglycerides and high density lipoprotein levels with no effect on serum cholesterol. Rats that consumed the BT diet exhibited higher total serum lipids (P < 0.10) and serum triglycerides (P < 0.01), but lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol than rats that ate the CO diet. Serum cholesterol was lower (P < 0.10) in the group of rats that exercised. Exercise alone did not significantly alter any other serum lipid levels tested, but the interaction of diet x exercise altered serum cholesterol. The BT-NE group exhibited higher (P < 0.10) serum cholesterol levels than all other diet-exercise combinations, which were not significantly different from each other. Alcohol alone did not significantly change any serum lipid level tested, although the interaction of diet x alcohol significantly altered total serum lipids. The BT-NA combination had higher (P < 0.10) total serum lipids than all other diet-alcohol combinations which were not significantly different from each other.;Liver cholesterol values were lower (P < 0.05) when rats consumed the CO diet than in those fed the BT diet. Cholesterol in the liver was not significantly different in rats because of exercise. Those rats that ingested alcohol had lower (P < 0.01) liver cholesterol than animals that did not consume alcohol. Heart cholesterol was increased (P < 0.01) when rats ate the CO diet rather than the BT diet. Exercised rats had lower (P < 0.05) heart cholesterol levels than corresponding animals that did not exercise. Neither diet nor alcohol had any significant affect on heart or kidney cholesterol but exercise led to a decrease (P < 0.05) in heart and kidney cholesterol.;Generally, diet affected serum lipid levels, whereas, exercise and alcohol had greater effects on heart and epididymal fat pad weight and organ cholesterol values.