Obesogenic diets induce anxiety in rodents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Obesity and mood disorders have been linked in a positive feedback loop. However, due to the bidirectional relationship between obesity and mental health, it is not clear whether anxiety is correlated with or caused by consumption of obesogenic diets.Here, we present a meta-analysis on the effects of dietary manipulation on rodent behavior in the elevated plus maze and open field test, the most common tests of anxiety-like behavior in animal models. The main dataset examined effects of obesogenic diets on time spent in the open and movement around the mazes. Auxiliary datasets examined effects of caloric restriction and protein restriction.Obesogenic diets had a negative effect on the time spent in the open overall. Effects were stronger in males than females. No effect of diet on locomotion was found, indicating that increases in anxiety-like behavior are not due to altered activity levels.No consistent effect of caloric restriction was observed, whereas protein restriction was associated with an increase in the time spent in the open. We show that obesogenic diets have a causative effect on anxiety-like behaviors in rodents, and not via a change in activity. Further studies are required to determine why obesogenic diets induce these behavioral changes.

Male Rat Offspring Are More Impacted by Maternal Obesity Induced by Cafeteria Diet than Females—Additive Effect of Postweaning Diet

“…The relationship between obesity, diet, and anxiety is complex. While meta-analytic evidence suggests that obesogenic diets increase anxiety-like behaviour in the EPM and OFT in rodents consuming such a diet [60], here, we found anxiolytic effects of maternal Caf diet exposure in young offspring, regardless of whether these offspring were themselves fed a chow or Caf diet. Altered maternal care by Caf dams, maternal obesity-induced changes to offspring brain development, inflammatory changes, and maternal transfer of gut microbiota are among the mechanisms that may mediate behavioural changes in offspring [20,24].…”

The effects of an obesogenic diet on behavior and cognition in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Trait average, variability, repeatability, and behavioral syndromes

“…Zebrafish fed an obesogenic diet spent significantly less time in the low zone than control zebrafish during the anxiety tank tests (Figure 3b ); that is, these zebrafish were less “anxious” and displayed more exploratory behavior, in contrast to a finding by Ghaddar et al ( 2021 ). Rodent studies of diet‐induced obesity have also shown inconsistent results in exploratory behavior (Bracke et al, 2019 ; Zieba et al, 2019 ), although a recent meta‐analysis found obesogenic diets increased anxiety‐like behavior in elevated plus mazes as well as open field tests (Clark, Crean, & Senior, 2022 ). An increase in exploration is commonly associated with a “proactive” phenotype (Koolhaas et al, 2010 ; Øverli et al, 2007 ).…”

The effects of an obesogenic diet on behaviour and cognition in zebrafish (Danio rerio): traits average, variability, repeatability, and behavioural syndromes

“…Zebrafish fed an obesogenic diet spent significantly less time in the low zone than control zebrafish during the anxiety tank tests (Figure 3b); that is, these zebrafish were less "anxious" and displayed more exploratory behavior, in contrast to a finding by Ghaddar et al (2021). Rodent studies of diet-induced obesity have also shown inconsistent results in exploratory behavior (Bracke et al, 2019;Zieba et al, 2019), although a recent meta-analysis found obesogenic diets increased anxiety-like behavior in elevated plus mazes as well as open field tests (Clark, Crean, & Senior, 2022). An increase in exploration is commonly associated with a "proactive" phenotype (Koolhaas et al, 2010;Øverli et al, 2007).…”