Effect of cafeteria diet on alpha-MG intestinal absorption in rats.

The effect of a cafeteria diet (a hypercaloric diet) on the accumulative ability of the mediated and non-mediated small intestine transport of alpha-methyl-D-glucoside (alpha-MG) in developing female Wistar rats was studied using everted intestinal slices. Cafeteria diet increased intestinal active transport and decreased intestinal passive diffusion of alpha-MG in 30-day-old rats. No differences in alpha-MG intestinal absorption were found in cafeteria vs control rats after the development of obesity in cafeteria diet fed rats. A link between gastrointestinal functions and the development of obesity induced by cafeteria diet is suggested.