Groups of 4-week old, male Osborne-Mendel rats were given high fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks; one group was fed control diet (CON) for 28 weeks. HFD rats were transferred to control diet (HFDCON) and diets restricted to 80% (HFDR80) or 60% (HFDR60) of HFDCON intake for another 16 weeks, while one group continued on HFD. Body, liver and epididymal adipose tissue (EPI) weight, and the EPI/body weight ratio of HFDR60 group decreased significantly. EPI lipid content and total lipoprotein lipase activity also declined in response to 40% restriction. Overall, the data indicate that 40% energy restriction can stabilize body weight at a reduced level, and mobilize adipose lipid to meet the energy needs of HFD rats.