77: The Effects of Meals with Different Composition

The Effects of Meals with Different Composition on Metabolic, Vascular and Haemostatic Parameters ($17,800) – Professor Madeleine Ball

Increased concentrations of blood glucaose (hyperglycaemia) and insulin *hyperinsulinaemia) are the major risk factors for type-2 diabetes. These factors are also associated with an increased stiffness of blood vessels and blood pressure as well both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Controlling of these factors in individuals at risk of type-2 diabetes (eg those living with conditions such as impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) may prevent or delay the onset of type-2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.

Present day advice to improve and control fasting and post-meal glucose and insulin concentrations, is to replace the intake of simple sugars with food rich in fibre and of low glycemic index (GI) content. On the other hand, some research suggests that consumption of moderately high protein/fat diets may be more appropriate in controlling plasma glucose and insulin levels compared to high carbohydrate diets. Although blood concentration of glucose and insulin are associated with vacsular stiffness and blood pressure, literature is scarce regarding the effect of meals with different GI/protein content on post-meal blood pressure and vascular function.

The proposed study aims to investigate and compare the effects of three different meals, providing different amounts of GI content or protein, on post-meal glucose, insulin triglycerides and blood pressure measurements. The study will also assess the relationhip (if any) between different meals and the different test parameters.

This research will provide new informatin as to whether a low GI or a high protein meal induces a greater improvement on the combination of post-meal metabolism. This informatin will be particularly relevant to the large number of people diagnosed with IGF/IGT, but potentially also to the general public, especially for the prevention of diseases such as type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.