Comparison of the effects of two weeks' intervention with different meal frequencies on glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and lipid levels in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of 2 weeks on different meal frequencies on glucose metabolism, lipid levels and 24-hour blood pressure in non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects.


METHODS
Ten non-insulin-dependent diabetic outpatients from Aarhus City participated in a crossover study design. None were treated with insulin. The patients were randomly allocated to two isoenergetic diets either taken as three or eight meals per day for 2 weeks each. At the end of each period, the diurnal blood pressure and the responses to a test meal were measured. Furthermore, a hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp was placed.


RESULTS
Both the insulin sensitivity and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure were similar as were the responses of glucose, insulin and free fatty acids to a carbohydrate-rich test meal at the end of the two diet periods. The HDL-cholesterol level was lowest in response to the 8-meal diet (p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing meal frequencies in a 2-week treatment period with weight-maintaining diets on an outpatient basis subdued the HDL-cholesterol levels but apparently had no impact on glucose metabolism or diurnal blood pressure in NIDDM subjects. These results give no indications of long-term beneficial effects of increasing the meal frequency in NIDDM patients.
Thomsen
C
C
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus Amtssygehus, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. claus.thomsen@image.dk
Christiansen
C
C
Rasmussen
O W
OW
Hermansen
K
K
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005502:Food; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides