Energy balance
In laboratory rodents, access to running wheels increases food consumption and reduces body fat, but does not fully compensate for the energy cost of running through reductions in other spontaneous activities.
This node describes rodent physiology. It suggests that voluntary exercise can drive fat loss even if appetite increases, provided the exercise cost isn't fully offset by reduced other movements. This highlights the importance of measuring total energy expenditure, not just exercise calories.
most rodent studies indicate that food consumption increases in the presence of wheels; therefore, other aspects of physical activity are not reduced enough to compensate for the energetic cost of wheel running. Most rodent studies also show negative effects of wheel access on body fat, especially in males.
Why this rating
Based on a synthesis of multiple rodent studies cited in the review.
Source
The biological control of voluntary exercise, spontaneous physical activity and daily energy expenditure in relation to obesity: human and rodent perspectives
Theodore Garland et al. · Journal of Experimental Biology · 2010
DOI 10.1242/jeb.048397
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