New research shows that people with a sharp drop in blood sugar, hours after eating, end up feeling hungrier and consuming hundreds of calories more during the day than others.

A study published today in the journal Nature Metabolism, from PREDICT, the largest continuing nutrition research program in the world that looks at responses to food in real-world settings, the team from the University of King’s College London and the health science company ZOE (including scientists from Harvard Medical School, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Nottingham, University of Leeds and Lund University in London) Sweden) has found out why some people struggle to lose weight, even on a calorie-controlled diet, and emphasizes the importance of understanding your metabolism when it comes to your diet. eating and health.

The team collected detailed data on the response of blood sugar and other health markers from 1,070 people after eating a standard breakfast and free-choice meals over a two-week period, in total there are more than 8,000 breakfasts and 70,000 main meals. A standard muffin-based breakfast contains the same number of calories but differs in carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber composition. Participants also took a fasting blood glucose response test (oral glucose tolerance test), to measure how well their body processes sugar.

Participants wore a continuous blood glucose monitor (CGM) to measure their blood sugar for the entire study period, as well as a wearable device to track activity and sleep. They also recorded their hunger and alertness levels using a phone app, along with exactly when and what they ate during the day.

Previous studies looking at blood sugar levels after eating have focused on how levels rise and fall during the first two hours after a meal, known as blood sugar peaks. However, after analyzing the data, the PREDICT team found that some people experienced a significant ‘sugar drop’ 2-4 hours after this initial peak, where their blood glucose levels dropped rapidly below base level before rising again.

Those who ate a lot had a 9% increase in hunger and on average waited half an hour for their next meal than those who ate less, even though their meals were exactly the same.

The heavy eaters also ate 75 calories more in the three to four hours after breakfast and about 312 more calories throughout the day than those who ate less. This style can make you gain 20 pounds in a year.

Dr Sarah Berry from King’s College London said, “It has long been suspected that blood sugar plays an important role in hunger control, but results from previous studies have been inconsistent. cannot be concluded. Now, we’ve shown that reduced sugar is a better predictor of subsequent hunger and calorie intake than initial postprandial blood sugar, changing the way we think about it. relationship between blood sugar and the food we eat. “

Professor Ana Valdes from the University of Nottingham School of Medicine, who led the research team, said: “Many people struggle to lose weight and maintain it, and just a few hundred extra calories a day can add a few extra calories. weight for more than a year. Our finding that reduced sugar intake after eating has a major impact on hunger and cravings, has huge potential in helping people understand and manage their weight and long-term health. “

A comparison of what happened when participants ate the same test meal showed large differences in blood glucose response between people. The researchers also found no correlation between age, body weight or BMI and eating less or more, although on average men were slightly larger than women. .

There was also some variation in the amount of blood sugar drop that people experienced when eating the same meals on different days, suggesting that you are a big eater depending on individual differences. metabolism, as well as day-to-day effects of meal choices and activity levels.

Choosing foods that are right for your body type can help you feel fuller for longer and eat less overall.

The study’s lead author, Patrick Wyatt from ZOE, noted, “This study shows how wearable technology can provide valuable insights to help people understand the unique biological characteristics of each other. their uniqueness and take control of their nutrition and health. By demonstrating the importance of lowering blood sugar, our study paves the way for data-driven, individualized guidance for those looking to manage hunger and calorie intake in the right way. rather than against their body. “

Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London and co-founder of the science of ZOE, concludes, “Food is complex and people are complex, but our study ultimately makes sense. begins to unfold a mystery between diet and health. We’re excited to be able to turn this cutting-edge science into a home microbiome and nutrition experiment so people have the opportunity to discover their specific responses to food to best support their health. their metabolism and gut health. “

References:

Patrick Wyatt, Sarah E. Berry, Graham Finlayson, Ruairi O’Driscoll, George Hadjigeorgiou, David A. Drew, Haya Al Khatib, Long H. Nguyen, Inbar Linenberg, Andrew T. Chan, Tim D. Spector, Paul W. Franks , Jonathan Wolf, John Blundell, Ana M. Valdes. Postprandial glycaemic dips predict appetite and energy intake in healthy individuals. Nature Metabolism, 2021; DOI: 10.1038/s42255-021-00383-x

Source: Why some of us are hungry all the time

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Translated by: thangngan2509

Editing: Bao Ngan