Can early protein restriction induce the development of binge eating?

•Rats undernourished for protein restriction in perinatal life.•Animal model of binge eating composed for Restriction/Refeeding cycles.•Restriction/Refeeding cycles induced a rebound hyperphagia in undernourished rats.

We tested the hypothesis that perinatal undernourishment is a factor for binge eating. At 52 days rats born from dams fed on 17% protein (Control) or 8% protein (Undernourished) were distributed into four groups, two of which continued to be fed ad libitum chow and two were submitted to three consecutive Restricted/Refeeding (R/R) cycles. According to the following schedule: Control Naïve (from mothers fed 17% protein/no restriction phase); Control Restricted (from mothers fed 17% protein/restriction phase); Undernourished Naïve (from mothers fed 8% protein/no restriction phase); and Undernourished Restricted (from mothers fed 8% protein/restriction phase). Each cycle consisted of a restriction phase (in the first four days 40% of the mean daily individual chow intake was offered for consumption), followed by a refeeding phase (4 days of chow ad libitum). After the three cycles, all animals were subjected to a feeding test (chow diet and palatable food ad libitum for 24 h). During the feeding test, the Undernourished Restricted demonstrated rebound hyperphagia during 2, 4 and 6 h. These results suggest the perinatal undernourishment cannot contribute to a binge eating phenotype.