Whole grain comprises starchy endosperm, germ, and bran tissues, which contain fibers, minerals, vitamins, and several phytochemicals. Whole grain cereal (WGC)-based food products supply beneficial nutrients (essential for health care) and macronutrients (essential for body maintenance and support). The present study investigated the inhibitory effect of WGC on obesity-induced muscle atrophy in obese C57BL/6N mice. WGC attenuated the body weight gain, fat pad mass, adipocyte size, food efficiency ratio, serum lipid profile, and non-alcoholic fatty liver. Furthermore, WGC increased muscle mass and muscle strength by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway. Accordingly, WGC up-regulated the expression of factors that regulate muscle hypertrophy and myogenesis, whereas it down-regulated the atrophy-related factors. Overall, these results demonstrate that WGC effectively attenuates obesity-induced muscle atrophy as well as overall obesity, suggesting that WGC can be used as a functional food.
Keywords: Anti-obesity; Muscle atrophy; Muscle strength; Skeletal muscle mass; Whole grain cereal.