Effects of a high-protein, high-fiber diet in adult female dogs undergoing weight gain and weight loss conditions

Phungviwatnikul, Thunyaporn

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115499 Copy

Description

Title

Effects of a high-protein, high-fiber diet in adult female dogs undergoing weight gain and weight loss conditions

Author(s)

Phungviwatnikul, Thunyaporn

Issue Date

2021-12-21

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Swanson, Kelly S.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Swanson, Kelly S.

Committee Member(s)

• de Godoy, Maria R.C.
• Pan, Yuan-Xing
• Fahey, Jr., George C.

Department of Study

Animal Sciences

Discipline

Animal Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• canine nutrition
• caloric restriction
• weight loss
• dietary fiber
• high-protein diet
• gut health
• gut microbiota
• ovariectomy
• pet obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease with increasing incidence and economic burden to humans and pets worldwide. Understanding the pathophysiological changes during the process of weight gain and weight loss with the use of nutritional therapy, and advanced scientific techniques could potentially help develop preventive or management strategies that can alleviate adverse effects. Numerous studies have been conducted in humans and rodents, however, there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of dietary modifications on metabolic responses, gut microbial structure, and microbial-derived metabolites of adult dogs. Therefore, we aimed to test the effects of high-protein, high-fiber (HPHF) diets in adult dogs during weight gain and weight loss conditions. We hypothesized that these diets would minimize detrimental impacts (e.g., reduce blood lipids and inflammatory marker concentrations, and alter obesity-induced gut dysbiosis), maximize positive effects (e.g., alter body composition and blood hormone concentrations, and modulate fecal metabolite concentrations and fecal microbiota populations), and provide beneficial outcomes (e.g., decrease the risk of obesity-associated comorbidities and increase longevity) which could be the key to remedies of obesity. The first aim was to determine the effects of specially formulated dry diets on apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility, fecal bile acid concentrations, fecal fermentative-end products concentrations, and fecal microbiota populations of adult female dogs after spay surgery. Twenty-eight adult intact female beagles (age: 3.02 ± 0.71 yr, BW: 10.28 ± 0.77 kg; BCS: 4.98 ± 0.57) were used in a longitudinal spay study. After a 5-wk baseline phase whereby all dogs were fed a control diet at a rate to maintain BW, 24 dogs were spayed using standard procedures. Four dogs were sham-operated and fed the control diet to serve as lean controls (COSH). Spayed dogs were randomly allotted to one of three dry diets (n=8/group): 1) Control diet (CO) contain a moderate amount of crude protein and a low amount of dietary fiber; 2) HPHF diet; and 3) HPHF diet containing additional omega-3 and medium-chain fatty acids (HPHFO). After the first 12 wk, dogs were fed an amount that exceeded needs [up to 200% the energy needed to maintain body weight (BW)] for an additional 12 wk. Apparent organic matter and energy digestibilities had greater decreases (P < 0.05) in HPHF and HPHFO than COSH and COSP. Increases in fecal acetate (P = 0.0001) and total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) in HPHF and HPHFO than COSH and COSP. Fecal secondary bile acid percentages tended to be greater (P = 0.08) and decreases in primary bile acid percentages tended to be greater (P = 0.08) in HPHFO than other treatments. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) plots of weighted UniFrac distances revealed that HPHF and HPHFO clustered together and separated from COSH and COSP at wks 12 and 24 (P < 0.05), with relative abundances of Faecalibacterium, Romboutsia, and Fusobacterium increasing to a greater (P < 0.01) extent and Catenibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Prevotella 9, Eubacterium, and Megamonas decreasing to a greater (P < 0.05) extent in HPHF or HPHFO. The second aim was to determine the effects of restricted feeding of a HPHF diet and weight loss on body composition, voluntary physical activity, complete blood cell count, serum chemistry profile, serum hormone concentrations, and serum inflammatory marker concentrations of overweight dogs. Twelve overweight adult spayed female beagle dogs (age: 5.5±1.1 yr; BW: 14.8±2.0 kg, BCS: 7.9±0.8) were fed a high-protein (42.0% dry matter), high-fiber (26.8% dry matter) diet during a 4-wk baseline phase to maintain BW. A 24-wk weight loss phase then followed. After baseline (wk 0), dogs were initially fed at 80% of that needed to maintain BW and then adjusted weekly to target 1.5% weekly weight loss. After 24 wk, dogs lost 31.2% of initial BW and had 1.43±0.73% weight loss per wk. BCS decreased (P < 0.0001) by 2.7 units, lean mass percentage increased (P < 0.0001) by 11.3%, and fat mass and percentage decreased (P < 0.0001) by 3.1 kg and 11.7%, respectively, with weight loss. Many serum metabolites and hormones were altered, with triglycerides, leptin, insulin, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 decreasing (P < 0.05) with weight loss. The third aim was to evaluate the effects of restricted feeding of a HPHF diet and weight loss on fecal characteristics, fermentative metabolite concentrations, and fecal bile acid concentrations of overweight dogs. The experimental design and animals used were described in Aim #2. Fecal dry matter percentage increased (P < 0.05), while fecal scores decreased (firmer stool; P < 0.001) with restricted feeding and weight loss. Fecal acetate concentrations tended to decrease (P = 0.051) and fecal ammonia concentrations decreased (P < 0.05), while fecal valerate concentrations increased (P < 0.01) with restricted feeding and weight loss. Fecal deoxycholic acid concentrations decreased (P < 0.05), fecal secondary bile acid concentrations tended to decrease (P = 0.058), and fecal ursodeoxycholic acid concentrations increased (P < 0.01) with restricted feeding and weight loss. The fourth aim was to evaluate the effects of restricted feeding of a HPHF diet and weight loss on the fecal microbiota of overweight dogs. The experimental design and animals used were described in Aim #2. Principal components analysis (PCoA) plots of weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances revealed that fecal microbial populations tended to shift away from that measured at baseline (wk 0) with restricted feeding and weight loss (P < 0.05). Relative abundances of fecal Bifidobacterium, Coriobacteriaceae UCG-002, undefined Muribaculaceae, Allobaculum, Eubacterium, Lachnospira, Negativivibacillus, Ruminococcus gauvreauii group, uncultured Erysipelotrichaceae, and Parasutterella increased (P < 0.05), whereas Prevotelaceae Ga6A1 group, Catenibacterium, Erysipelatoclostridium, Fusobacterium, Holdemanella, Lachnoclostridium, Lactobacillus, Megamonas, Peptoclostridium, Ruminococcus gnavus group, and Streptococcus decreased (P < 0.01) with restricted feeding and weight loss. Overall, our results suggest that consumption of HPHF diets alone or when fed during restricted feeding may help ameliorate obesity and its comorbidities by positively altering body composition, serum chemistry profile, and blood hormones, and reducing inflammatory markers, modulating fecal fermentative metabolites, fecal bile acids, and fecal microbiota. Spay surgery appeared to have minor effects on these outcomes. Because the diets tested had high fiber content, their consumption decreased apparent nutrient and energy digestibilities, but did not initiate deleterious consequences.

Graduation Semester

2022-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Thunyaporn Phungviwatnikul

Owning Collections