Cover Story Current Issue
Consuming small amounts of palatable food, i.e., snacking, at various times of the day is a highly prevalent behavior in most modern societies. Chronic rest-phase food intake – especially of high-caloric items – promotes obesity and disrupts endogenous circadian rhythms. Notably, humans and mice are more prone to hedonically driven eating behavior, the overconsumption of palatable food, during the late active/early inactive phase, i.e., the morning in mice, the evening in humans. While the effects of calorie-dense food items in promoting body weight gain are well documented, the metabolic impact of snack timing is far less understood.
Kimberly Begemann, Isabel Heyde, Pia Witt, Julica Inderhees, ... Henrik Oster
Current Issue
Rest phase snacking increases energy resorption and weight gain in male mice
Objective
Snacking, i.e., the intake of small amounts of palatable food items, is a common behavior in modern societies, promoting overeating and obesity. Shifting food intake into the daily rest phase disrupts circadian rhythms and is also known to stimulate weight gain. We therefore hypothesized that chronic snacking in the inactive phase may promote body weight gain and that this effect is based on disruption of circadian clocks.
Methods
Male mice were fed a daily chocolate snack either during their rest or their active phase and body weight development and metabolic parameters were investigated. Snacking experiments were repeated in constant darkness and in clock-deficient mutant mice to examine the role of external and internal time cues in mediating the metabolic effects of snacking.
Results
Chronic snacking in the rest phase increased body weight gain and disrupted metabolic circadian rhythms in energy expenditure, body temperature, and locomotor activity. Additionally, these rest phase snacking mice assimilated more energy during the inactive phase. Body weight remained increased in rest phase snacking wildtype mice in constant darkness as well as in clock-deficient mutant mice under a regular light–dark cycle compared to mice snacking in the active phase. Weight gain effects were abolished in clock-deficient mice in constant darkness.
Conclusions
Our data suggest that mistimed snacking increases energy resorption and promotes body weight gain. This effect requires a functional circadian clock at least under constant darkness conditions.
Rest phase snacking increases energy resorption and weight gain in male mice
Objective
Snacking, i.e., the intake of small amounts of palatable food items, is a common behavior in modern societies, promoting overeating and obesity. Shifting food intake into the daily rest phase disrupts circadian rhythms and is also known to stimulate weight gain. We therefore hypothesized that chronic snacking in the inactive phase may promote body weight gain and that this effect is based on disruption of circadian clocks.
Methods
Male mice were fed a daily chocolate snack either during their rest or their active phase and body weight development and metabolic parameters were investigated. Snacking experiments were repeated in constant darkness and in clock-deficient mutant mice to examine the role of external and internal time cues in mediating the metabolic effects of snacking.
Results
Chronic snacking in the rest phase increased body weight gain and disrupted metabolic circadian rhythms in energy expenditure, body temperature, and locomotor activity. Additionally, these rest phase snacking mice assimilated more energy during the inactive phase. Body weight remained increased in rest phase snacking wildtype mice in constant darkness as well as in clock-deficient mutant mice under a regular light–dark cycle compared to mice snacking in the active phase. Weight gain effects were abolished in clock-deficient mice in constant darkness.
Conclusions
Our data suggest that mistimed snacking increases energy resorption and promotes body weight gain. This effect requires a functional circadian clock at least under constant darkness conditions.
2021 impact factor: 8.568
Here is a video of Vimeo. When the iframes is activated, a connection to Vimeo is established and, if necessary, cookies from Vimeo are also used. For further information on cookies policy click here.