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. 2022 May 31;9(6):262.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci9060262.

Overweight Management through Mild Caloric Restriction in Multigenerational Long-Tailed Macaque Breeding Groups

Dian G M Zijlmans  1   2 , Annemiek Maaskant  1   3 , Annet L Louwerse  1 , Elisabeth H M Sterck  1   2 , Jan A M Langermans  1   3
Affiliations

Overweight Management through Mild Caloric Restriction in Multigenerational Long-Tailed Macaque Breeding Groups

Dian G M Zijlmans et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Caloric restriction (CR) is an effective method to reduce overweight in captive non-human primates (NHPs). CR has been applied to individually- and pair-housed NHPs, but whether applying CR can be effective and safe in group-housed NHPs has not yet been assessed. This study investigates the effect of mild (20%) CR on adult overweight and biochemical parameters, immature growth, veterinary consultations, and reproductive success in multigenerational long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) breeding groups. Data were derived from anthropometric measurements and blood samples during yearly health checks, complemented with retrospective data on veterinary consultations and reproductive success. Adult body measures decreased after CR, with heavier individuals and females losing more weight compared to leaner individuals and males. CR lowered cholesterol levels in adults but had no overall effect on other biochemical parameters. Yet, biochemical parameters of individuals with high baseline values were reduced more compared to individuals with low baseline values. Immature growth, veterinary consultations and reproductive success were not influenced by CR. Thus, CR targeted the right individuals, i.e., overweight adults, and had no adverse effects on the variables examined in this study. This implies that mild CR can be a valuable overweight management strategy in group-housed NHPs.

Keywords: dietary restriction; group-living; nutrition; obesity; reproduction; welfare.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
Growth patterns of immature male and female long-tailed macaques based on body weight (A) and height (B). The steeper blue line implies that the growth rate of immature males is higher compared to females.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of baseline weight-for-height index (WHI) (A) and sex (B) on delta WHI in full-grown adult male and female long-tailed macaques. Note that the y-axes are not equally scaled. Circles represent females; squares represent males. Error bars represent the standard error. * p < 0.05.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of baseline value on delta cholesterol (A), delta triglyceride (B), delta glucose (C), delta fructosamine (D), and delta HbA1c (E) in full-grown adult male and female long-tailed macaques. Circles represent females; squares represent males.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Growth patterns of immature male and female long-tailed macaques based on body weight (A) and height (B) before and after caloric restriction (CR). Circles represent females; squares represent males.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Proportion of pregnant females (A) and successful pregnancies (B) in a long-tailed macaque breeding colony before and after caloric restriction (CR). Error bars represent the standard error. ns: p ≥ 0.05.
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