Nutrition intervention in greek female adolescents: The effects of diets varying in glycemic index and fiber content on glucose metabolism and plasma lipid profile

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of diets varying in glycemic index (GI) and fiber content on glucose metabolism and plasma lipid profile, in female adolescents.

Methods: In a parallel study, 48 healthy female adolescent were assigned into two groups. The first group followed a Low Glycemic index High Fiber (LGI-HF) diet, while the second group followed a High Glycemic index Low Fiber (HGI-LF) diet, during five consecutive weeks. Both diets were composed in accordance to American Heart Association Dietary recommendations for children and adolescents. Study outcomes are referred as mean ± standard deviation and analysed by performing Repeated-measures analysis of variance with age as covariate.

Results: Twenty-five adolescents completed the study (13 for the interventional and 12 for the control group). Triglycerides decreased significantly in the interventional group (from 66±16.1 mg/dl to 54±13 mg/dl, p=0.018) but not in the control group (p=0.665). Furthermore LDL – cholesterol decreased significantly in both the interventional and control group (-12±14 mg/dl, p=0.011 vs -13±12 mg/dl, p=0.003 respectively). However this change did not differ significantly between two groups.

Conclusion: In conclusion, a LGI-HF diet could have a beneficial effect on TG concentration reduction and offer similar improvement in LDL – cholesterol in comparison to a HGI-LF diet in female adolescents in condition it is accompanied by a behavioral counselling approach, suggesting a potential effect of dietary treatment over health benefits.