High starch intake favours bodyweight control in neutered and spayed cats living in homes fed < em > ad libitum < /em >

Br J Nutr. 2024 Jan 31:1-47. doi: 10.1017/S0007114524000333. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDifferent starch-to-protein ratios were compared among neutered and spayed domiciled cats. Male and female obese and non-obese cats were fed kibble diets ad libitum for four months high in starch (HS(38%CP): starch 32%, protein 38%; dry-matter basis) or high in protein (HP(55%CP): starch 19%, protein 55%) but similar in energy and fat in a crossover design. Physical activity was evaluated using an accelerometer, and body composition (BC), energy expenditure (EE), and water turnover (WT) using the doubly labelled water method. Results were compared in a 2 diet × 2 sex × 2 body condition factorial arrangement. Cats fed the HS(38%CP) diet maintained a constant bodyweight, but lean mass (LM) tended to be reduced in female obese but to be increased in male non-obese (P<0•08) and increased in female non-obese cats (P=0•01). The HP(55%CP) diet induced an increase in cat bodyweight and LM (P<0•05) without altering BC proportion. EE tended to be higher in males (351 (SE 8) kJ/kg0.67/day) than females (330 (SE 8) kJ/kg0.67/day; P=0•06), was unaffected by diet or BC, decreased as age increased (R 2 0.44; P<0•01), and increased as physical activity increased (R 2 0.58; P<0•01). WT was higher for the HP(55%CP) diet (P<0•01) and increased with EE (R 2 0.65; P<0•01). The HS(38%CP) diet favoured bodyweight control during four months of ad libitum feeding. Caution is ...
Source: The British Journal of Nutrition - Category: Nutrition Authors: Source Type: research