Effects of Forced Exercise on Spontaneous Activity and Body Weight of Adult Rats

Abstract

Adult male Wistar rats (N = 47) were divided at random into four groups for a 9-week experimental period. The 11 animals in Group I were permitted spontaneous activity in addition to swimming 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week. The 10 animals in Group II ran on a treadmill for 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week in addition to spontaneous activity. The 12 animals in Group III were permitted spontaneous activity but engaged in no forced exercise, and the 14 animals in Group IV were restricted to their cages during the entire experimental period. Results indicated that Group I engaged in more spontaneous activity than did Groups II and III, and Group II was more active than Group III. Group IV was significantly heavier than Groups I, II, and III, but the latter groups did not differ in body weight.