Table 1.

General parameters of socially isolated and group housed animals.

Metabolic parameter	Housing condition	Mean	CI 95% Lower	CI 95% Upper	t/U value	p value
Body weight gain (g)	Social	3.53	2.19	4.86	27	0.14
	Isolated	4.98	3.58	6.37
Food intake (g)	Social	3.29	3.02	3.55	2.886	0.01*
	Isolated	2.89	2.76	3.03
Fast blood glucose (mg/dL)	Social	182.50	161.20	203.80	0.375	0.71
	Isolated	178.30	166.30	190.40

Metabolic parameters in different housing conditions. Food intake was measured in two different conditions for the Social group. When mice of the Social group were placed in individual cages for separated intake records, food ingestion was lower in Isolated compared to Social (shown in the Table). However, when food intake was measured while they remained in their collective cages (total cage consumption divided by the number of mice), this result is reversed (Social = 2.52 ± [2.46 – 2.58]; Isolated = 2.89 ± [2.76 – 3.03]; U = 5; p = 0.0003; n = 2 for Social group (number of cages) and n = 9 for Isolated group, data not shown in the Table). Body weight gain was not statistically different as shown. However, the Hedges' g value was 0.78, indicating an effect size from medium to large. Unpaired t-student test or Mann-Whitney (for non-parametric data), n = 9–10/group, * p < 0.05.