This project will investigate how food with different degrees of processing affects nutrient release as well as sugar and fat absorption.
It is thought that the structure and properties of plant foods, particularly of cell walls (‘dietary fibre’), play an important role in regulating the release of nutrients from plant foods such as cereals (wheat) and nuts (almond), during chewing and digestion. Cell walls may act as physical barriers to the digestion of carbohydrate and/or fat thus reducing the speed at which sugar or fat appears in the blood. In a meal, starch or fat availability can therefore be controlled by modifying the amount of the nutrients encapsulated by cell walls.
Because glucose and fat responses following the consumption of a meal are associated with reduced risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, this work has implications for the prevention and management of these diseases.
STUDY OUTLINE
You will be required to attend the Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, City of London SE1 7HY, on 6 separate occasions:
- For screening (about 1 hour) - the purpose of this screening session is to determine whether you are suitable to participate in our study and undertake some preliminary measurements. This involves measurement of your height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure. It also involves collection of blood samples to determine your fat and glucose levels. We will ask you to try some of the almond test meals and chew and expectorate 3 times 4 almonds. You will also be provided with a diet diary to complete for 3 days.
- For 2 to 4/5 study days, at least 1 week apart (13 to 14 hours each) – to measure your body’s response to consuming the meal that we will provide (almond muffin or wheat porridge). This will involve taking effluent and blood samples at regular intervals for up to 12 hours after eating the test meal. On the evening of each visit, we also ask that you store any effluent appearing overnight in a take-home freezer-kit for collection the following day.
Note: that the study will take places on Tuesdays and Thursdays ONLY, so before agreeing on taking part make sure that you can attend those days.
ON EACH OF THE STUDY DAYS.
On each study day you will be asked to attend the CRF at St Thomas’ Hospital, for the whole day. During the 9 hours there will be a room for you to sit and study/work/read in and another room with a DVD player and a selection of films for your entertainment.
On the day before the study you should avoid having caffeine from midday, and also avoid doing exercise and drinking alcohol for the whole day. On the evening before the study day, you will be given a standard low fat or starch meal to eat for your evening meal. You will be also asked to fast overnight (no food or drink, except water, from 10 pm, and no breakfast on the study day). You will then attend the CRF at a pre-arranged time either 8.00 or 8.30 am on the study day. We recommend that you drink plenty of water before your visit to avoid dehydration.
A cannula (flexible plastic needle) will be inserted into you upper arm by a trained nurse, and this will stay in place for the duration of the day. We will take a fasting blood sample before giving you the meal.
You will be given for breakfast either:
Study 1 (3 visits)
- 85 g of whole almonds given with a muffin and some custard
- a muffin containing almond flour with some custard
- a muffin containing 2 mm almond pieces and some custard
Study 2 (2 visits)
- porridge containing durum wheat flour and water
- porridge containing 2 mm durum wheat semolina and water.
Effluents will be collected every 2 h for 12 h at the CRF, and overnight at times that suit you. Blood (about 200 mL per visit) will also be collected after the meals at different time intervals up to 8 hours for Study 1 and 4 hours for Study 2. The effluent samples produced will be used for measuring nutrient losses (fat or starch), microscopy and particle sizing (almond only). Blood samples will be analysed for glucose, fat and some gut hormones. During the 13/14 hours of the study, you will be served with a standard low-fat or low-starch meal 4.5 (lunch) and 10 (dinner) hours after eating the test meal. Before you leave the CRF we will provide you with a take-home freezer kit (containing pre-cooled ice blocks in a polystyrene carrier case as well as gloves and other supplies) for overnight effluent collections. You will be asked to store any effluent that appears overnight in the freezer kit provided until it can be collected or brought to us the following morning.
WHAT YOU WILL GET BY TAKING PART.
- Information on your blood fats and glucose levels
- A full biochemical screening
- Information on your physical measurements
- £600 for your time (£300 at the completion of Study 1 and £300 of Study 2)
By participating in our study you will provide us with valuable information. Your commitment to our study is greatly appreciated.
If at any point during the course of the study you need to talk to a clinician, you can contact Dr Jeremy Sanderson (gastroenterologist):
Mobile: 07768478124
Work: 02071882497
Email: [email protected]
For further information or to apply contact:
Myriam Grundy and Cathrina Edwards [email protected]
020 7848 4345
Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division,
King’s College London,
Franklin-Wilkins Building,
150 Stamford Street,
