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Assigning glycemic index to foods in a recent Australian food composition database

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 70, pages 280–281 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

This paper describes the compilation of a special edition of the AUSNUT2011–2013 food composition database that includes glycemic index (GI) values. A 6-step, systematic methodology was used to assign GI to 5644 foods included in AUSNUT2011–2013. A total of 1752 (31%) foods were assigned a GI of 0 owing to low carbohydrate content; 363 (6%) had a direct match in 1 of the 4 data tables used; 1738 (31%) were assigned the GI of a ‘closely related’ food item; 1526 (27%) were assigned the weighted mean GI of ingredients; 205 (4%) were assigned the median GI of their corresponding food subgroup; 49 (<1%) were assigned a GI of 0 because they were not a significant source of carbohydrate in typical diets; and 5 (<1%) were assigned a default GI. We propose that this database should be used for all future Australian GI research until a subsequent version/update is compiled.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Food Standards Australia and New Zealand for granting permission to reproduce the ‘food ID’ and ‘food name’ of the foods in AUSNUT2011–2013. The authors declare that: (1) they are responsible for the accuracy and the reliability of the glycemic index data presented in the database; and (2) the glycemic index database is not produced by, or is in anyway associated with or endorsed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. A license is required from the Glycemic Index Foundation to access this special edition of AUSNUT2011–2013. Interested parties should contact AWB (alan.barclay@gisymbol.com). Research purposes will attract a nominal rate to cover admin costs. Funding source: The Glycemic Index Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Discipline of Nutrition and Metabolism, School of Molecular Bioscience and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    J C Y Louie & J C Brand-Miller

  2. Glycemic Index Foundation, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia

    A W Barclay & J C Brand-Miller

Authors
  1. J C Y Louie
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  2. A W Barclay
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  3. J C Brand-Miller
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Correspondence to J C Y Louie.

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Competing interests

JCBM, and AWB are co-authors of The New Glucose Revolution and Low GI Diet books (Hachette Livre Australia and Da Capo Press, North America). JCBM is a director of a not-for-profit GI-based food endorsement program in Australia, and manages the University of Sydney GI testing service. AWB is the Chief Scientific Officer of a not-for-profit GI-based food endorsement program in Australia. JCYL received consultation fee from the Glycemic Index Foundation, a not-for-profit health promotion charity, for the sole purpose of producing the database outlined in this report.

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Louie, J., Barclay, A. & Brand-Miller, J. Assigning glycemic index to foods in a recent Australian food composition database. Eur J Clin Nutr 70, 280–281 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2015.186

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