Research Review: Effect of the Glycaemic Index of the diet on weight loss, modulation of satiety, inflammation, and other metabolic risk factors: a randomized controlled trial.
While low G.I. diets have been proven to have beneficial effects for conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, Ischemic Heart Disease and some forms of cancer such as bowel cancer, the effect of the low G.I. diet upon weight loss is still controversial.
This study investigates the efficacy of 2 moderate carbohydrate diets and a low fat diet, with different Glycaemic Indexes on weight loss and hunger. The diets used in this study had similar energy contents, while differing in carbohydrate quality, and also in macro-nutrient composition in the low fat diet.
The results of this study found that the Low G.I. diet reduced weight more effectively than did the traditional low fat diet. The low G.I. diet also led to significantly greater improvement in insulin resistance and sensitivity, as compared to the low fat diet.
The authors suggest that a Mediterranean style diet that’s high in fibre, but also containing fats mainly derived from plant sources such as olive oil, were effective at managing obesity. The study also found that there were higher satiety rates, and lower hunger rates with the low G.I diet. Additionally, the low G.I. diet demonstrated a significantly greater effect on fasting insulin in contrast to the high G.I. diet.
There are many factors associated with the food we eat that can contribute to reducing the overall G.I. in your diet. Understanding these and making appropriate changes to your diet can not only help you lose weight, but prevent other lifestyle diseases. This shows us that it’s not only the total energy of your diet that’s important, but the overall quality as well. Come and meet the Optimum Dietitians to support you on your way to healthy and sustainable weight loss.
