NCT01047813

The Effects of High and Low GI Breakfasts on Cognitive Performance in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Leeds · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Consumption of a low glycemic index (GI) diet has been shown to improve glycaemic control in type 2 diabetics(Brand-Miller et al., 2003; Jenkins et al., 2008). In addition to the benefits for glycaemic control there is some evidence for acute improvements in cognitive performance after consumption of low GI foods compared with high GI foods in both adults (Benton et al., 2003; Kaplan et al., 2000) and adolescents (Ingwersen et al., 2007; Smith and Foster, 2008). Given these findings it is possible that low GI focused dietary interventions designed to improve glycaemic control and health outcomes for diabetic patients could also improve the cognitive function of these patients. This is of particular relevance in light of the evidence associating type 2 diabetes with cognitive decrements (Awad et al., 2004; Stewart and Loilitsa 1999; van Harten et al., 2006). To date two studies with type 2 diabetics have reported that a low GI breakfast was associated with increased verbal memory performance compared to a high GI breakfast (Greenwood et al., 2003; Papanikolaou et al. 2006). Further research should investigate the benefit of low GI foods to cognition. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of high and low glycaemic index breakfast on cognitive performance in adults with type 2 diabetes. Participants will perform a battery of cognitive tests after consuming 3 different breakfasts (high GI, low GI, and water) on 3 different tests days. The participants will be recruited from the general public and from the Leeds Teaching Hospital diabetes clinic. This research can benefit the development of specific dietary behaviours aimed at reducing diabetes related cognitive decline. This research is part of a PhD funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the University of Leeds.

Detailed description

The study will conform to a randomised mixed design. Both the diabetic experimental group and the control group will take part in three conditions whereby participants will receive a high GI, a low GI, or a water breakfast delivered in a counterbalanced order. Participants will then perform the battery of cognitive tests on 2 occasions throughout the morning; 30 minutes after breakfast and 180 minutes after breakfast. Blood glucose will be measured from capillary finger-prick blood samples using diabetic glucose meters throughout the morning.

Conditions

• Type 2 Diabetes

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-09-01
• Primary completion: 2010-03-01
• Completion: 2010-09-01
• First posted: 2010-01-13
• Last updated: 2010-01-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom