Physical exercise, growth and development: study on young malnourished rats by regional basic diet (DBR) and nutritionally recovered rats

Abstract

The aim of this research was to verify the effects of physical exercise on body growth and organ development of malnourished and nutritionally recovered young rats. Forty male Wistar rats underwent different treatments. The research was divided in two phases; firstly, all animals were exposed to malnutrition triggered by the use of the Regional Basic Diet (RBD) during a period of 30 days. Secondly, half of these animals were nutritionally recovered by the Casein Diet till the 105th day. Then, physical exercise (free-style-swimming, 1h/day, six fold a week) was practiced by 10 recovered rats, and by other 10 malnourished rats. Descriptive statistics was carried out by means and standard deviation. Inferential statistics was carried out by a two way ANOVA. The results indicated that physical exercise in malnourished rats led to a reduction food intake, absolute weight of heart, relative and absolute weight of the brain. Physical exercise associated with the experimental model of RBD would need new investigations, in which variables such as age, duration, intensity, frequency of exercise, and protocols must be considered as well as biochemical parameters.