Body composition analysis to determine specificity of weight loss

Explore body composition analysis for weight loss assessment in mice, differentiating fat loss from harmful water and protein reduction. Methods include DEXA and gold-standard techniques for valuable insights into interventions and drug effects.

Body composition analysis to determine specificity of weight loss

Body composition analysis can be used to investigate whether weight loss is accounted for by a clinically beneficial selective loss of fat, or by producing non-specific decreases in water (dehydration) and/or protein content (muscle wasting or cachexia)., which can be harmful.

In-life assessment of body composition in mice can be performed under light anaesthesia by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). In addition, a terminal carcass composition (mouse and rat) can be performed by gold-standard chemical methods (for the assessment of fat, protein, water and ash) or by a near-infra-red analysis (FoodScanβ„’; rat only; for the assessment of fat, protein and water).

Longitudinal DEXA measurement of body composition in DIO mice given rimonabant or switched to a low-fat diet