title: A low glycemic index staple diet reduces postprandial glucose values in Asian women with gestational diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A low glycemic index (GI) diet is beneficial for glucose control in patients with diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate the influence of a low-GI diet on postprandial glucose levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant women with GDM were randomized to receive a normal diabetic control diet or a low-GI staple diet for 5 days. A low-GI staple food was used to replace rice in lunch and dinner for the low-GI staple diet group, whereas the total energy and carbohydrate levels remained equal in both groups. Fasting and postprandial glucose levels were determined daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 140 pregnant women with GDM were included in the study, including 66 in the low-GI staple diet group and 74 in the normal diabetic diet control group. No differences existed in baseline characteristics between the 2 groups (all P > 0.05). After dietary intervention, glucose levels were significantly reduced in the low-GI staple diet group (all P < 0.01) and the control group (all P < 0.008). Postintervention glucose values after breakfast, lunch, and dinner were significantly reduced in the treatment group compared with those in the control group (all P < 0.05). The percentage changes from baseline of all glucose values were significantly greater in the treatment group than in the control group (all P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low-GI staple diet significantly reduces postprandial glucose levels in women with GDM.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Clinical Nutrition, Zhu Jiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; †Department of Clinical Nutrition, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Jinan University; and ‡Department of Clinical Nutrition, General Hospital of Guangzhou PLA, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Geng
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Rong-Shao
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D038321:Glycemic Index; D006801:Humans; D019518:Postprandial Period; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose