We examined the effect of fat and oil intake during growthperiod on preferential fat intake in adult rats using high-fat diet(HFD) with cellulose added to maintain the same metabolizableenergy concentration as low-fat diet (LFD). Four groups of 4week-old male Fischer 344 rats were fed either LFD (LFD group) orone of three kinds of HFD with cellulose added (lard HFD, soybeanoil HFD and fish oil HFD group). After 8 weeks, three HFD groupswere placed on a self-selection regimen of LFD and each HFD for 3weeks to examine the ratio of HFD and LFD intake. No significantdifference in calorie intake and body weight was observed among allgroups through the experimental period However, duringself-selection period. ratio of HFD intake CHFD intake (g)/totalintake (g)] for fish oil HFD group was lower than that of lard andsoybean oil HFD group. Within first week after self-selectionregimen, the ratio for lard HFD, soybean oil HFD and fish oil HFDgroup was 50%, 3O% and 17%, respectively. However, the ratio forlard and soybean oil HFD group decreased and reached about 200lc'within third week after self-selection regimen. The amount of fatintake was calculated 6g/100g diet. These findings indicated that ・Iard HFD has food properties preferable to soybean oil HFD and fishoil HFD, ・ HFD with cellulose added to maintain the samemetabolizable energy concentration as LFD guards againstoverfeeding of fats.

Key words: preferential fat intake, self-selection, high-fat diet.cellulose