Return of hunger following a relatively high carbohydrate breakfast is associated with earlier recorded glucose peak and nadir

Abstract

The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that a breakfast meal with high carbohydrate/low fat results in an earlier increase in postprandial glucose and insulin, a greater decrease below baseline in postprandial glucose, and an earlier return of appetite, compared with a low carbohydrate/high fat meal. Overweight but otherwise healthy adults (n = 64) were maintained on one of two eucaloric diets: high carbohydrate/low fat (HC/LF; 55:27:18% kcals from carbohydrate:fat:protein) versus low carbohydrate/high fat (LC/HF; 43:39:18% kcals from carbohydrate:fat:protein). After 4 weeks of acclimation to the diets, participants underwent a meal test during which circulating glucose and insulin and self-reported hunger and fullness, were measured before and after consumption of breakfast from their assigned diets. The LC/HF meal resulted in a later time at the highest and lowest recorded glucose, higher glucose concentrations at 3 and 4 hours post meal, and lower insulin incremental area under the curve. Participants consuming the LC/HF meal reported lower appetite 3 and 4 hours following the meal, a response that was associated with the timing of the highest and lowest recorded glucose. Modest increases in meal carbohydrate content at the expense of fat content may facilitate weight gain over the long-term by contributing to an earlier rise and fall of postprandial glucose concentrations and an earlier return of appetite.

Keywords: Diet intervention; Food intake; Insulin; Satiety.

Conflict of interest statement

There are no actual or potential conflicts of interest. There are no financial gains to disclose.

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1

The incremental AUC for glucose (A) did not differ between the groups, but glucose concentrations were higher at 3 and 4 hours following the LC/HF meal (*P<0.05). The incremental AUC for insulin (B) was higher following the HC/LF breakfast versus the LC/HF breakfast (P<0.05; data shown are mean ± SEM).

Figure 2

Self-reported hunger (A) and fullness (B) at each time point during the meal test (mean ± SEM). *Pt0.05<P<0.10 (adjusted for baseline).