Voluntary Running and the Estrous Variation in Food Intake in the Rat

Abstract

The hypothesis that running in activity wheels competes with feeding and thereby accounts for the estrous Variation in food intake was tested by comparing the food intake of 16 rats given access to wheels and 16 rats not given access to wheels. Contrary to the prediction the estrous variation in food intake appeared in all rats in both conditions. Running did not affect growth in body weight and increased food intake during estrus as well as diestrus.