Food and water were freely available in the metabolic cages.

Ten rats from each diet group were placed in individual metabolic cages to monitor their daily food intake and body weight gain.

In each experiment the animals were kept in individual metabolic cages at a constant temperature (25 (1) C) with a 12 hour dark-light period and free access to water.

Two weeks after the surgery when all mice had recovered body weight lost due to the stress from the surgery, another glucose tolerance test was performed, and after another week, all the mice were placed into metabolic cages in groups of eight in a balanced design.