The current epidemic of diabetes likely reflects marked changes in environmental factors, although
genetic susceptibility plays a powerful role in the occurrence of diabetes in certain populations. We investigated whether long-term
sucrose-drinking causes hyperglycaemia in male Wistar-Imamichi littermates (n 32), which are not genetically susceptible to diabetes or
obesity. Each litter was divided equivalently into two groups, the
sucrose group and the control group. The
sucrose group received 300 g/l
sucrose water and the control group received regular water until 42 weeks of age. Rats were weighed every 1 or 2 weeks. Oral
glucose tolerance tests were performed at 28 and 36 weeks of age. Plasma
glucose and
insulin concentrations were measured.
Body weights were significantly greater in the
sucrose group than in the control group in 18-week-old rats (P<0.05), and the difference between the two groups reached 163 g by the end of the study (P<0.01). The 120 min post-load plasma
glucose concentration in the
sucrose group was 11.4 (SD 2.8) mmol/l in 28-week-old rats and 12.7 (SD 2.2) mmol/l in 36-week-old rats, while that of the control group remained approximately 7.3-7.7 mmol/l. In the
sucrose group, the plasma
insulin peak occurred 30 min post-load at 28 weeks of age; but the peak disappeared and hyperinsulinaemia was prolonged at 36 weeks of age. In conclusion, long-term
sucrose-drinking causes increased
body weight and
glucose intolerance in normal male rats.