Effects of mastication on glucose metabolism in rats, with emphasis on differences in properties of food consumed whilst breeding.

Objective: In this study, to elucidate the effects of preferred properties of food that affect the daily masticatory habits on the onset of lifestyle-related disease, we investigated whether groups of rats continuously fed with diet having distinct properties show differences in glucose metabolism.

Design: Thirty-six male Wistar rats aged 4 weeks were divided into two groups; only the pellet type feed was given to one (solid diet group), and the powdered feed to the other (powder diet group). The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to measure glucose metabolism.