Diet-Induced Obesity (DO)

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health. Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility. The Model for Diet-Induced Obesity is an animal model that studies obesity, caused by being fed high-fat and/or high-density diets, imitating the food we see so readily available in society today.Typically mice, rats, dogs or non-human primates are used in these models. These animals can then be used to study in vivo obesity, obesity's comorbidities, and other related diseases. Users of such models must take into account the duration and type of diet as well as the environmental conditions and age of the animals, as each may promote different bodyweights, fat percentages or behaviors.