Fall Research Expo 2023

Food Preference Shift in C57BL/6 Mice Following Exercise Endurance Protocol

Physical activity is pertinent in improving various metabolic functions and affects homeostatic centers of neural networks that impacts food preferences. The experiments in this study investigated how exercise affects food preference consisting of 4 multi-macronutrient diets consisting of high sucrose, high non-simple carbohydrates, high sucrose and high fat, and high fat diets. The experimental group was exercised on treadmills during weekdays for 3 weeks, and the sedentary group was the negative control. A body composition and the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) done on all mice group pre and post exercise protocol. Our hypothesis was that mice will show a reduced preference for palatable food such as a high sucrose diet, an increase in lean muscle body content, and an increased ability to metabolize sucrose. Our results showed all groups of mice did not have a significant difference in preference between the two groups of mice initially. However, following the exercise protocol, the sedentary mice exhibited an increased preference to the sucrose diet, while the exercised mice consumed relatively the same amount. Additionally, the exercised mice groups showed a better glucose metabolization according to the IPGTT. Finally, post exercise, the exercise groups exhibited an increase in body fluid content compared to baseline.The goals of subsequent experiments would be to run an endurance test can be conducted to determine the efficiency of the experimental protocol.

PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2025
Advised By
Nicholas J. Betley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
Lavinia Boccia, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2025
Advised By
Nicholas J. Betley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
Lavinia Boccia, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

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