Is diet-induced thermogenesis an experimental artefact?

form (McCracken & Barr, 1982, 1983; Barr & McCracken, 1983; Barr et al. 1983) it is probably appropriate to point out that we have confirmed the variability of nutrient intake by young cafeteria-fed animals and the complex dietary deficiencies which c v arise. Regretfully, we have been unable to find convincing evidence for the presence of the elusive DIT phenomenon in any of our experiments although we have demonstrated marginal improvements in nitrogen and energy utilization in response to mineral/vitamin enrichment. It is obviously of more than academic interest that we should attempt to bring this unfortunate controversy to a satisfactory conclusion. We appeal to all those using cafeteria feeding or other similar methods of inducing hyperphagia to attempt to define all the experimental variables and to keep an open mind about the existence of experimental artefacts which could be responsible for the differences reported. KELVIN J. MCCRACKEN and H. GILLIAN BARR, Department of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Newforge Lane, Berfast BT9 5PX Andrews, J. F. & Donne, B. (1982). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 41, 36A. Barr, H. G., Gray, R. & McCracken, K. J. (1983). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 42, 2 A. Barr, H. G. & McCracken, K. J. (1983). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 42, 102A. Barr, H. G. & McCracken, K. J. (1984). British Journal of Nutrition 51, 379-387. Hervey, G. R. & Tobin, G. (1982). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 41, 137-154. McCracken, K. J. & Barr, H. G. (1982). Journal of Physiology, London 330, 69P-70P. McCracken, K. J. & Ban, H. G. (1983). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 42, 3A. Rothwell, N. J. & Stock, M. J. (1979). Nature 281, 31-35. Trayhurn, P., Jones, P. M., McGuckin, M. M. & Goodbody, A. E. (1982). Nature 295, 323-325 available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN19850023 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 54.70.40.11, on 25 Dec 2017 at 23:21:38, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use,