Dietary Carbohydrates Task Force

Carbohydrates were historically only seen as a source of dietary energy. More and more data are becoming available on the relationship between the glycaemic response and health, but its significance is far from clear. There are many developments around indigestible carbohydrates and other substances known as dietary fibre.

The aim of the Dietary Carbohydrate Task Force is to increase insight in the effects of carbohydrates on health. What are the effects of glycaemic responses on health and disease, and what are optimal ways to measure such responses? What are the benefits of natural and synthetic non-digestible carbohydrates and fibres? How does the postprandial stage influence health? A better insight in the effects of carbohydrates on health and a wide dissemination of the results can help industry, food authorities and consumer to produce, label and choose better foods that contribute to maintain or improve health.

Activities

Postprandial Carbohydrates Metabolism

It is common practice to measure parameters in the fasting state, especially in observational studies, but the largest part of the day is spent in postprandial stages.

The task force will commission an Expert Group (EG) to work on the methodology and determinants of postprandial carbohydrate metabolism, and subsequently on its short-, medium- and long-term health effects. The focus shall extend from glycaemia to insulinaemia.

Meta-analyses and Workshop on Glycaemic Response and Health

nterest in the glycaemic properties of foods and beverages is growing strongly. Around the world many foods now have their glycaemic index labeled and the popular press frequently communicates about this concept to consumers. It is reported that the glycaemic response to the diet can influence risk factors for disorders such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and that it might play a role in body weight management. It is important that this communication is scientifically substantiated and that consumer expectations are realistic.

The task force has investigated selected aspects of the glycaemic concept in an effort to better understand the status of the science and to identify areas for future research. First an expert consultation on glycaemic index methodology was commissioned (Brouns et al. Nutr Res Rev 2005;18:145-71). Subsequently, several meta-analyses of human intervention studies quantitatively summarised effects of glycaemic response on health outcomes. The results of these works were then used as a basis for a workshop on glycaemic response and health, held in Nice (FR), in December 2006. The details of the meta-analysis, together with a summary of the workshop, its key findings and presented papers, are now available in a supplement to the world’s most highly ranked nutrition journal, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008;87 (Suppl.1):201S-74S). The full report on the meta-analyses, which served as the basis for the workshop, will also be made available on the ILSI Europe website.

Concise Monograph - Glycaemic Response and Health

Following the meta-analyses, the workshop and the resulting supplement to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the task force has decided to publish a Concise Monograph on this topic. The important progress made by the meta-analyses and the workshop will be disseminated to a much wider audience.