Effects of Dietary Fibers on Obesity Related Physiological Parameters of Mice

Abstract

Obesity, a metabolic disease resulting from an imbalance between caloric intake and expenditure, is a global concern. This study investigated the effect of dietary fibers (glucomannan, GM and oat β-glucan, OBG) on obesity related variables, like body and liver growth, serum metabolites, fatty liver (steatosis), and short chain fatty acid production in eighty-four high-fat diet-induced obese male, C57BL/6 mice. At 6-weeks old, the mice were fed one of 7 diets (n=12): Control, 1.25%, 2.5%, 5% GM or OBG for 12 weeks. The GM diets reduced body weight gain (P<0.005) with an interaction between fibers and their inclusion levels for relative liver weight (P<0.05) and percent steatosis (P<0.001). The OBG diets had lower serum triglyceride concentrations (P<0.05), while the GM diets had higher acetate and propionate production (P<0.05) compared to the other dietary treatments. At the 1.25% inclusion level, microvesicular fat was prevalent in both GM and OBG diets compared to the other dietary treatments at 2.5% and 5%. In conclusion, glucomannan and oat β-glucan at specific inclusion levels exert significant effects on relative liver weight, percent steatosis, and serum triglycerides in the mice. Glucomannan decreased the severity of mediovesicular fat, while both fibers decreased severity of macrovesicular fat. Thus, supplementing a diet with an adequate amount of specific dietary fiber may improve obesity related health issues.