title: Effects of fiber supplementation on glycemic excursions and incidence of hypoglycemia in children with type 1 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nutritional therapy is an important component of diabetes management. There is data to suggest that fiber content of foods may affect glycemic response.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 children, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, participated. In the first phase of the study, children followed their usual meal plan. In the second phase, subjects followed the same meal plan except that fiber was added to the diet using a powder supplement (wheat dextrin). Data was collected using a continuous glucose monitoring device. The blood glucose excursion level following each meal was compared between the two phases of the study by fitting a repeated measures regression model. The incidence of hypoglycemia was also compared by fitting a logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the mean blood glucose excursion after meals or the incidence of hypoglycemia between the two phases. There was a strong negative correlation between the amount of fiber supplemented and the mean maximum post-prandial blood sugar after the lunch and breakfast meals (Spearman rank correlation coefficient = -0.86 lunch and -0.76 breakfast).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study did not show an overall decrease in glucose excursion or incidence of hypoglycemia with fiber supplementation. We did find a strong negative correlation between the amount of fiber added during the supplemental phase and the mean maximum post-prandial blood sugar after the lunch and breakfast meals. We speculate that different types of fiber may have different effects on blood glucose with wheat dextrin having a greater dampening effect.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nader
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lteif