title: Glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response: An International Scientific Consensus Summit from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The positive and negative health effects of dietary carbohydrates are of interest to both researchers and consumers.
  
  
  METHODS
  International experts on carbohydrate research held a scientific summit in Stresa, Italy, in June 2013 to discuss controversies surrounding the utility of the glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and glycemic response (GR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The outcome was a scientific consensus statement which recognized the importance of postprandial glycemia in overall health, and the GI as a valid and reproducible method of classifying carbohydrate foods for this purpose. There was consensus that diets low in GI and GL were relevant to the prevention and management of diabetes and coronary heart disease, and probably obesity. Moderate to weak associations were observed for selected cancers. The group affirmed that diets low in GI and GL should always be considered in the context of diets otherwise understood as healthy, complementing additional ways of characterizing carbohydrate foods, such as fiber and whole grain content. Diets of low GI and GL were considered particularly important in individuals with insulin resistance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the high prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes worldwide and the consistency of the scientific evidence reviewed, the expert panel confirmed an urgent need to communicate information on GI and GL to the general public and health professionals, through channels such as national dietary guidelines, food composition tables and food labels.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: livia.augustin@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: L S A
authors.initials: LSA
authors.lastname: Augustin
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Nutritional Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: C W C
authors.initials: CWC
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Nutritional Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: D J A
authors.initials: DJA
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports (NEXS), Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Astrup
authors.affiliation: Glycemic Index Foundation, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Barclay
authors.affiliation: Food for Health Science Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Björck
authors.affiliation: Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brand-Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brighenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Buyken
authors.affiliation: Institut d' Investigación Biomédiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabolicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ceriello
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
authors.affiliation: Independent Nutrition Logic, Wymondham, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Livesey
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riccardi
authors.affiliation: Institute Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), University Pierre et Marie Curie, Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), University Pierre et Marie Curie and Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Rizkalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sievenpiper
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trichopoulou
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Nutritional Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: T M S
authors.initials: TMS
authors.lastname: Wolever
authors.affiliation: Oldways, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baer-Sinnott
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Foundation of Italy, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poli
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D038321:Glycemic Index; D000067940:Glycemic Load; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D000067348:Whole Grains
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber
keywords: Cancer; Diabetes; Glycemic index; Glycemic load; Heart disease