Mice on a fatty diet not only weigh more, but also have a lot more body fat and a higher BMI, meaning they’re much fatter than mice on a normal diet.

Scientific Claim

Female ICR mice on a high-fat diet (60% kcal from fat) for four weeks have significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat than controls, as measured by crown-rump length and EchoMRI.

Original Statement

“BMI and percent body fat was greater (P<0.05) in HF than CON at the end of wk 4... HF mice had significantly higher BMI than CON mice (F 1,40 = 11.03, P = 0.002)... HF mice had significantly higher percent of body fat than CON mice (F 1,41 = 10.41, P < 0.002).”

From study:High fat diet induces obesity, alters eating pattern and disrupts corticosterone circadian rhythms in female ICR mice

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The measurements are direct and statistically significant. The claim uses 'have' to describe observed outcomes, which is appropriate for descriptive animal data.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

High fat diet induces obesity, alters eating pattern and disrupts corticosterone circadian rhythms in female ICR mice

Cohort Study

Animal

2023

The study found that female mice eating a lot of fat got heavier and fatter than mice eating normal food, just like the claim said.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

High fat diet induces obesity, alters eating pattern and disrupts corticosterone circadian rhythms in female ICR mice

Score: 15

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279209

Similar Assertions

At first, the mice on the fatty diet ate the same amount of food by weight as the others, but still got more calories because fat is energy-dense.

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When female mice eat a diet full of fat for a month, they get much heavier than mice eating a normal diet, and this starts happening after just two weeks.

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Even if they eat the same amount of food by weight, mice on a fatty diet take in way more calories because fat has more energy than other nutrients.

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Mice that eat a high-fat diet start snacking more during the day—when they normally sleep—and eat less at night—when they normally are active.

83%

Even though the mice on the fatty diet got heavier, the increase in stress hormone in their fur wasn’t linked to how fat they became—it seems the diet itself caused the change.

76%