ABSTRACT
Exposure of Turkish and Siberian hamsters to short days (SD) and cold ambient temperatures promotes hibernation and daily torpor. Feeding saturated high fat diets (HFDs) inhibit and polyunsaturated HFDs stimulate hibernation in yellow pine chipmunks, effects presumed to be due to changes in membrane fluidity. This chapter examines the effects of diet quality and quantity on hibernation and energy metabolism in Turkish hamsters. It reviews the effects of the degree of HFD saturation on hibernation and several related measures and reports for the first time the effects of diet quality and quantity. Saturated HFDs also could inhibit hibernation by altering energy storage, utilization and/or expenditure. In each case, the necessity of decreasing body temperature to save energy would lessen. Collectively, the mechanism by which HFDs inhibit hibernation remains unclear, but could be due to an increased ability to utilize dietary fat-derived calories, thus decreasing the need to exhibit the energy-saving strategy of lowering body temperature.
