Metabolic syndrome: comparison of three diet-induced experimental models

The high-fat (HF) diets can be used to generate a valid rodent model for metabolic syndrome (METS). The aim of this study was to compare three different diets, namely a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (HF-HCD), a high-fat lard-based diet (HFD), and a cafeteria diet (CFD), in terms of the ability to induce METS. The next step was to characterize the syndrome according to the biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver and pancreas, and to determine the optimal animal model. As a result, all diets disturbed significantly the serum biochemical parameters. HF-HCD and CFD increased the uric acid levels and reduced the weight gain in comparison with the standard chow diet (SCD) and HFD. The HFD and CFD induced the highest fasting glycemia levels. Although the animals fed with HF-HCD had the lowest body weight, the most serious histopathological changes in the pancreas, hypertension, and oxidative stress were noted in them.