The effect of dairy and non-dairy snack products on glycemic regulation in normal weight children
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Date
2013-09
Authors
McCormick, Mary E.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Mount Saint Vincent University
Abstract
Increased snacking in children is associated with higher energy and sugar intake, known risk
factors for obesity and diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dairy
and non-dairy snacks on glycaemia in children. Methods: In a repeated measures crossover
design, normal weight (5th-85th BMI percentile) children (n =11, 5 boys and 6 girls; age: 9-14
y), were randomly assigned to consume one of two treatments: Greek yogurt (171 kcal) and mini
sandwich type cookies (175 kcal). Both treatments contained 25 g of available carbohydrates.
After an overnight fast, children consumed a standardized breakfast in the morning, two hours
before arriving at the lab. Venous blood samples were collected for glucose and insulin at 0 min
(immediately before the treatment), and at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Results: There was an effect
of treatment, time and a time by treatment interaction (P<0.0001) on blood glucose and insulin
over 120 min. The Greek yogurt treatment resulted in lower glycaemic and higher insulin
responses compared to the cookies treatment (P<0.0001). This effect can be explained by the
higher content of protein in the Greek yogurt treatment (17 g) compared to the cookies treatment
(1.3 g). Conclusion: The available carbohydrate content is not the only predictor of postprandial
glycemia but rather the macronutrient composition of a snack predetermines its glycaemic
response in children.
Description
Keywords
Greek Yogurt , Childhood obesity , Snacking , Glycemia in children