This study conducted research into how a high-calorie diet affects the health of horses, specifically looking at changes in metabolic and physiological biomarkers over time, leading to conditions such as high levels of cholesterol and insulin dysregulation.

Study Design and Participants

• The study included nine mature horses, which initially had an average body condition score of 2.9 out of a possible 9, signifying they were moderately lean when the research commenced.
• These horses were put on a hypercaloric diet, meaning they were fed a diet high in calories, for a period of five months.

Data Collection and Testing

• Fasting blood samples were collected from the horses before the study began, and then every two weeks throughout the five months to monitor changes in certain blood values.
• The blood samples were analysed to measure concentrations of cholesterol, various lipoprotein densities (VLDL, LDL, HDL), triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, and fructosamine – all of which are metabolic markers that can indicate changes in body function due to diet.
• A glucose tolerance test was carried out at three separate times – before the diet change, 75 days after, and 150 days after – in order to measure the insulin response in the horses.
• Additionally, the horses’ arterial blood pressure was measured on a monthly basis to track any changes.

Results of the Study

• After introducing the high calorie diet, the cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and fructosamine levels in the blood increased significantly, a change that was also correlated with the blood insulin response.
• This indicates that the high calorie diet led to a condition known as hypercholesterolemia, characterized by excessive cholesterol in the bloodstream. This occurred concurrently with insulin dysregulation, where the body does not respond normally to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

• The research thus confirms that high-calorie diet can induce obesity and lead to associated metabolic and physiological changes in horses, which can potentially result in harmful health conditions.