This study investigated the morphofunctional changes of CLA supplementation in trained and sedentary obese animals fed a cafeteria diet. Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: sedentary control (SCON), sedentary treated with CLA (SCLA), trained control (TCON) and trained treated with CLA (TCLA). All groups received the cafeteria diet and SCLA and TCLA groups were treated at a proportion of 0.5% from intake food, 5 times a week for 2 months via gavage. TCON and TCLA groups were subjected to an aerobic exercise training program, 5 times a week for 2 months. CLA supplementation, alone or combined with physical training did not lead to reduced body weight of animals, although both interventions have led to reduction of subcutaneous fat pads (SCLA, TCLA vs SCON and TCON, p <0.05). The TCLA group showed an enhanced insulin response even when fasting blood glucose remained unchanged between the groups. Triglyceride levels were higher in animals supplemented with CLA (SCLA and TCLA vs SCON, p <0.05) but total cholesterol and markers of liver injury were not different between the groups. However, animals that were treated with CLA showed increased lipid infiltration in the liver. The present study contributes to the understanding of CLA action combined or not to exercises associated with the cafeteria diet to control obesity. However, the extrapolations of results to human need to be confirmed in future studies.
Conjugated linoleic acid; Physical exercise; Obesity
