NCT06896799

Determining the Effect of Food Ordering on Blood Glucose In Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (DEFI-GDM)

Determining the Effect of Food Ordering on Blood Glucose In Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (DEFI-GDM) - a Randomised Crossover Study

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 35 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Queen's University, Belfast · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether the sequence of macronutrient consumption affects post-prandial glycaemia in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. The main questions it aims to answer are: * The difference in the magnitude of postprandial rise in blood glucose between the two test meals. * The difference in the magnitude of postprandial change in serum levels of gut hormones between the two test meals. * The difference in mean change in pre-post ingestion satiety scores between the two test meals. * The difference in 24 hour energy and macronutrient intake following the two test meals. Participants will attend two study visits at the Centre for Public Health, with an interval of at least two days between the visits and complete the following, anthropometric measurements, demographic and appetite questionnaires, glucose measurements, two food diaries and fasting blood samples and the consumption of the study breakfast. Participants will be asked to eat either the protein/fat-based component of the meal (scrambled egg) before or after the carbohydrate-based component (wholemeal toast) on their first visit and on the other visit they will be asked to eat the meal in the reverse order. The order in which this occurs will be randomised and each participant will act as their own control. Researchers will compare the results from participants between the two test meals to see if the order of macronutrient consumption has any effect on post-prandial glycaemia, gut hormones, satiety scores and energy and macronutrient intake.

Detailed description

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is glucose intolerance with onset or first diagnosis during pregnancy, affecting around 1 in 10 pregnancies in the United Kingdom (UK). Women with GDM are 10 times more likely to develop type 2 DM and twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease in later life than women without GDM. Dietary modification is recommended as first line management to optimise blood glucose control. However, this often fails, necessitating the use of medication such as metformin and insulin. There is a pressing need to find safe and effective dietary approaches to optimise glycaemic control in GDM which can be easily adhered to in order to improve longer-term outcomes. The impact of the sequence of macronutrients on glycaemic control is an emerging area of interest. Recent evidence suggests that the consumption of the fat/protein components of a meal prior to the carbohydrate components, reduces the peak by around 40% after food. This study aims to determine whether the order that macronutrients (i.e. protein, fat, carbohydrate) are eaten affects; blood sugar glucose levels in the blood after a meal, appetite, food intake and the release of hormones in the body, in women with GDM. Pregnant women with GDM, aged 18-50 years old are eligible for the study. Women are not eligible if they have a history of type 1 or 2 diabetes, any clinically confirmed food allergies, taking medication for GDM, severe nausea or using anti-sickness medication. Recruitment will be via antenatal clinics in the South-Eastern Health and Social Care Trust (SEHSCT). Participants will attend the Centre for Public Health on two occasions (maximum 2 weeks between visits) and will involve the collection of demographic information, weight and height measurements, blood samples, glucose measurements, consumption of study breakfast, and completion of two 1-day food diaries. Participants will be asked to eat either the protein/fat-based component of the meal (scrambled egg) before or after the carbohydrate-based component (wholemeal toast) on their first visit and on the other visit they will be asked to eat the meal in the reverse order. The order in which this occurs will be randomised and each participant will act as their own control. Scrambled egg was chosen as the protein and fat will be homogenously distributed (compared to boiled egg, for example). Wholemeal toast was chosen as, although lower glycaemic index and therefore less likely to expeditiously raise blood glucose than toasted white bread, it will be more consistent with the participants' existing dietary needs.

Conditions

• Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Visit 1: Protein/fat then carbohydrate. Visit 2: Carbohydrate then protein/fat.	Participants who are randomised to eat the protein/fat-based component (scrambled egg) of the meal before the carbohydrate-based component (wholemeal toast) on their first study visit, will be asked to eat the meal in the reverse order at their second study visit. Meals will be prepared by members of the research team who have completed Food Safety training. Participants will be asked to consume a 440kcal breakfast meal within 10 minutes, approximately 1.5 hours after arrival at their first study visit and approximately 30 minutes after arrival at their second study visit.
OTHER	Visit 1: Carbohydrate then protein/fat. Visit 2: Protein/fat then carbohydrate.	Participants who are randomised to eat the carbohydrate-based component (wholemeal toast) of the meal before the protein/fat-based component (scrambled egg) on their first study visit, will be asked to eat the meal in the reverse order at their second study visit. Meals will be prepared by members of the research team who have completed Food Safety training. Participants will be asked to consume a 440kcal breakfast meal within 10 minutes, approximately 1.5 hours after arrival at their first study visit and approximately 30 minutes after arrival at their second study visit.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-12-11
• Primary completion: 2026-09-30
• Completion: 2027-02-01
• First posted: 2025-03-26
• Last updated: 2026-04-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom