High fat feeding is associated with stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and reduced anxiety in the rat.

•Rats fed a high fat diet elicit anxiolytic-like behavior in an elevated plus maze.•High fat diet (HFD) increases plasma corticosterone levels.•Levels are elevated at baseline and following exposure to the elevated plus maze.•Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) immunoreactivity is altered by HFD.•HFD increases GR immunoreactivity in parietal cortex and hypothalamus.•The effects of HFD on behavior do not correlate with corticosterone or GR changes.