In children, inappropriate eating habits can induce a disease known as nutritional dwarfing (ND). Due to the link between nutritional condition and bone growth, the effects induced by a 20 % reduction of food intake on bone competence were assessed in an animal model of ND. Bone status during catch-up growth was also analysed. Male Wistar rats were divided into control (C) and ND groups. C rats were fed ad libitum. ND received 80 % of the diet consumed by C for 4 weeks (T4); thereafter, they were fed ad libitum for 8 weeks. Results, expressed as mean (SEM) for ND v. C, were as follows. At T4, body weight (g) and length (cm) and femur weight (g) and length (mm) were 97.35 (SEM 5.89) v. 199.07 (SEM 9.24), 16.91 (SEM 0.41) v. 20.26 (SEM 0.31), 0.30 (SEM 0.01) v. 0.46 (SEM 0.01) and 23.09 (SEM 0.29) v. 26.98 (SEM 0.26), respectively (P<0.001); bone mineral content (g) and density (g/cm(2)) were 0.014 (SEM 0.002) v. 0.030 (SEM 0.002) and 0.061 (SEM 0.004) v. 0.080 (SEM 0.003), respectively (P<0.001); load-bearing capacity (N), yielding load (N) and elastic stiffness (N/mm) were 25.06 (SEM 1.24) v. 50.34 (SEM 2.94), 23.72 (SEM 1.02) v. 46.97 (SEM 1.75) and 65.98 (SEM 4.42) v. 115.07 (SEM 3.85), respectively (P<0.001); cross-sectional area (mm(2)) and moment of inertia (mm(4)) were 2.86 (SEM 0.19) v. 4.54 (SEM 0.17) and 1.27 (SEM 0.08) v. 3.03 (SEM 0.16), respectively (P<0.001). Significant effects were not evident in material properties. Parameters assessed normalized during re-feeding. These results suggest that the impaired mechanical femur competence in ND rats could be due to an altered bone mass and architectural distribution rather than to intrinsic quality. Re-feeding caused a reversal of the effects of food restriction on growth and bone parameters in ND rats.

Background/Objective: Nutritional dwarfing (ND) consists of a decrease in weight and height gain and delayed onset of puberty. The aim of the present investigation was to study the modifications induced in male rats by the nutritional stress of a mere 20% reduction in food intake which, however, started immediately after weaning. Materials and Methods: At weaning, male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: Control (C) and ND. C rats were fed ad libitum with a balanced rodent diet. ND received 80% of the diet consumed by C for 4 weeks (T4); then they were fed ad libitum for another 4 (T8) and 8 weeks (T12). The rats were studied at T0, T4, T8 and T12 for the effects of nutritional stress and refeeding on nutritional status, body composition, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and sperm morphology and concentration. Results: ND body weight and length diminished vs. C (p < 0.001). ND body fat percentage decreased 40% (p < 0.001) without change in the percentage of body protein content. The hypothalamic content of LHRH did not change. However, FSH, LH and testosterone serum levels had significantly decreased (p < 0.001) at T4 in ND rats. A 48.4 % decrease in serum leptin in the ND group was observed at T4 (p < 0.05). The absolute testicular and seminal vesicle weight was significantly decreased by ND at T4 (p < 0.001). At T4 the percentage of anomalies of caudal spermatozoa increased in about 64% (p < 0.001) of ND vs. C rats, despite the unchanged sperm concentrations. All parameters normalized during refeeding. Conclusion: In this model, a decrease in leptin due to nutritional stress could be responsible, at least in part, for the inhibition of reproductive function. Refeeding normalized all parameters studied.

Abstract:We have studied hypothalamic noradrenergic activity in relation with bone status in a nutritional growth retardation model (ND). Control rats (C) were fed ad libitum. ND received 80% of the diet consumed by C for 4 weeks and later refed ad libitum for 8 weeks. Food restriction induced detrimental effects on body and femur weight and length (P<0.05) and bone biomechanical properties (P<0.001).

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