Glycaemic Response to a Nut-Enriched Diet in Asian Chinese Adults with Normal or High Glycaemia: The Tū Ora RCT

Abstract
Nut-based products are a good source of high-quality plant protein in addition to mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and may aid low-glycaemic dietary strategies important for the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In particular, they may be advantageous in populations susceptible to dysglycaemia, such as Asian Chinese. The present study aimed to compare effects of a higher-protein nut bar (HP-NB, also higher in total fibre and unsaturated fats, comprising mixed almonds and peanuts) vs. an isoenergetic higher-carbohydrate cereal bar (HC-CB) within the diet of 101 Chinese adults with overweight and normo- or hyperglycaemia. Ectopic pancreas and liver fat were characterised using magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI/S) as a secondary outcome. Participants were randomized to receive HP-NB or HC-CB daily as a 1 MJ light meal or snack replacement, in addition to healthy eating advice. Anthropometry and clinical indicators of T2D risk were assessed fasted and during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), pre- and post-intervention. No significant difference was observed between diet groups for body weight, body mass index, waist or hip circumference, blood pressure, glucoregulatory markers, lipid profile or inflammatory markers over 12 weeks (all, p > 0.05). No difference was observed between glycaemic subgroups or those with normal versus high ectopic organ fat. Although HP-NB can attenuate postprandial glycaemia following a meal, no effects were observed for either fasting or glucose-mediated outcomes following longer-term inclusion in the habitual diet of Chinese adults with overweight, including at-risk subgroups.
Description
Keywords
MRI, almonds, blood glucose, ectopic organ fat, overweight, peanuts, prediabetes, Humans, Male, Female, Nuts, Blood Glucose, Middle Aged, Adult, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Hyperglycemia, China, Asian People, Diet, Glucose Tolerance Test, Overweight, Prunus dulcis, Arachis, East Asian People
Citation
Sequeira-Bisson IR, Lu LW, Silvestre MP, Plank LD, Middleditch N, Acevedo-Fani A, Parry-Strong A, Hollingsworth KG, Tups A, Miles-Chan JL, Krebs JD, Foster M, Poppitt SD. (2024). Glycaemic Response to a Nut-Enriched Diet in Asian Chinese Adults with Normal or High Glycaemia: The Tū Ora RCT.. Nutrients. 16. 13. (pp. 2103-).
Collections