The potential of natural products to prevent obesity have been investigated, with evidence
to suggest that chitosan has anti-obesity effects. The current experiment investigated the
anti-obesity potential of prawn shell derived chitosan on a range of variables relevant to
obesity in a pig model. The two dietary treatment groups included in this 63 day study were:
T1) basal diet and T2) basal diet plus 1000 ppm chitosan (n = 20 gilts per group (70 ± 0.90
kg). The parameter categories which were assessed included: performance, nutrient digestibility,
serum leptin concentrations, nutrient transporter and digestive enzyme gene expression
and gut microbial populations. Pigs offered chitosan had reduced feed intake and final
body weight (P< 0.001), lower ileal digestibility of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE) (P<
0.05) and reduced coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of gross energy
and nitrogen (P