To study the effects of a high sucrose-high fat (HSHF) diet on growth and metabolism of inbred BALB/ c and C57BL/ 6J mice in parallel. Methods Litters of the two strains were weaned and separated by sex on day 25. Males and females of each strain were randomly divided into two groups. One group was fed a standard diet and other a HSHF diet from weaning until termination of the study ( 24 weeks). The parameters analyzed were the growth curve, levels of blood glucose and serum lipids, organ index ( spleen, liver and lungs), and histology of these organs. Results The strain determined the basal patterns of the growth curve, levels of blood glucose and serum low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Sex played a role in some of these parameters. The HSHF diet significantly altered the basal growth curve of females, but not males. In terms of metabolic parameters, the HSHF diet mostly increased their values. However, alterations of serum lipids were specific to the strain or sex. The severity of fatty changes in the liver varied with the strain and sex. Alterations of the spleen index depended significantly on the strain and sex. No histological changes were observed in the lungs. Conclusions Alterations of growth and metabolism caused by the HSHF diet were significantly influenced by the strain and sex. However, sex mainly modified differences determined by the strain.