Interstitial glucose level is a significant predictor of energy intake in free-living women with healthy body weight.
The relative contribution of circulating glucose to meal-to-meal variability in energy intake is not known. In 8 free-living young (median age 26.5 y) women with healthy body weight (median BMI 22.2 kg/m(2)), we measured glucose in the interstitial space by an automated monitoring procedure (continuous glucose monitoring system, CGMS) for up to 3 consecutive days (mean 706 glucose readings per subject). We examined the association between interstitial glucose (which lags blood glucose by approximately 10 min), self-reported hunger, satiety, desire for a meal, and nutrient intakes. Participants reported consuming a typical Western diet (59% carbohydrate, 27% fat, 14% protein). Median (interquartile range) interstitial glucose was 5.2 mmol/L (4.7-5.8). Using repeated-measures techniques in univariate analyses, desire for a meal (r = 0.45, P < 0.0001), hunger (r = 0.37, P = 0.0002), satiety (r = -0.40, P < 0.0001), low interstitial absolute mean glucose up to 25 min before eating (r = -0.23, P = 0.02), and a large decline in glucose between 40 and 5 min before eating (r = -0.17, P = 0.08) were all associated with meal energy intake. In multivariate regression analyses, desire for a meal (P < 0.0001) and hunger (P = 0.02) were the strongest independent contributors to meal energy intake, whereas absolute mean glucose measured in the period 15 to 0 min before eating was marginally significant (P = 0.08). In conclusion, absolute glucose level is a significant predictor of energy intake in nonobese women. However, desire for a meal and hunger are quantitatively more important, emphasizing the importance of both glucose signals and nonglucose (internal or environmental) factors in within-subject variability in energy intake. In addition, the CGMS may have utility in understanding the role of circulating glucose in energy regulation in free-living subjects under a wide range of different nutritional conditions.
Pittas
Anastassios G
AG
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA. apittas@tufts-nemc.org
Hariharan
Radhika
R
Stark
Paul C
PC
Hajduk
Cheryl L
CL
Greenberg
Andrew S
AS
Roberts
Susan B
SB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose