>One problem with just going from thinness is a problem that has also >been encountered more than once in relation to the human studies on >caloric restriction: that there is a lot more going on with thinness >than just the calories taken in. For humans one of the most major >problems is that higher caloric consumption and sarcopenia have strong >overlaps. That can also happen with ferrets. Sarcopenia is a condition >in which there is too little muscle mass from too little exercise. >There is a spiral there because low levels of exercise cause fat >increase while fat increase also often further reduces exercise. Hi Sukie ~ Going back to ferrets of 15+ years ago, I can share that Houdini (who lived to be 12) and lived on the old cat food regime, had 2 flights of stairs up to his room each day and ran around outside in warm weather for hours at a time. In the winter he had the run of the whole farmhouse. That was when we were dumb and young and had energy to go and find him. He never did gain a lot of weight. Probably had adequate exercise for his food intake. He never had any of the illnesses we see today either. Died on a lilypad in our pond one relaxed afternoon of old age, and oh did we cry! Warmly ~ Mary Herbalist The Conley Farm - organic herbs Online Classes ~ [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 3971]