How Do Diets With A Low Glycemic Index Impact Cardiovascular Risk?

Diets with a low glycemic index of dietary carbohydrate—compared to high glycemic index—did not improve insulin sensitivity, systolic blood pressure, or lipid levels, according to a recent study. 

“Foods that have similar carbohydrate content can differ in the amount they raise blood glucose. The effects of this property, called the glycemic index, on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes are not well understood,” said the authors of the study.
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For the study, researchers assigned 163 overweight adults with systolic blood pressure of 120-159 mm Hg to adhere to 4 different diets for 5 weeks: low-carbohydrate and low-GI, low GI and high-carbohydrate, low-carbohydrate and high-GI, and high-GI and high carbohydrate.

While the low-GI, low-carbohydrate diet decreased triglycerides in patients from 111 to 86 mg/dL when compared to the high-GI, high-carbohydrate diet (−23%, P ≤ .001), researchers found no major impact on systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or insulin sensitivity.

The complete study is published in the December issue of JAMA.

-Michelle Canales

Reference:

Sacks FM, Carey VJ, Anderson CA, et al. Effects of high vs low glycemic index of dietary carbohydrate on cardiovascular disease risk factors and insulin sensitivity. JAMA. 2014 December [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.16658.