Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Effects of the glycemic index of breakfast on metabolic responses to brisk walking in females

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 590–596 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of this study was to examine the metabolic responses during 1 h of brisk walking, 3 h after ingesting high glycemic index (HGI) and moderate glycemic index (MGI) breakfasts.

Design and subjects:

Six females completed three treadmill walking trials (∼50% V̇O2 max), separated by at least 1 month. Three hours before walking, they ingested either water or a HGI or MGI breakfast. The MGI breakfast consisted of a mixture of an HGI breakfast cereal and low GI carbohydrate (CHO) foods. The GI values of the HGI and MGI meals were 77 and 51, respectively.

Setting:

The study took place in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.

Results:

In the HGI and MGI trials, plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations peaked 15 min into the postprandial period. At the onset of exercise, plasma insulin concentrations were twofold higher in the HGI (31.5±7.7 μl U l−1) than in the MGI trial (15.2±1.9 μl U l−1) (P<0.05). However, there were no differences in substrate utilization between the two CHO trials.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that although the addition of LGI CHO foods to an HGI breakfast cereal reduces the overall GI of the meal, the metabolic response to exercise is similar to that following a breakfast comprised entirely of HGI foods.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Borg GA (1982). Psychophysical bases of perceived exertion. Med Sci Sports Exerc 14, 377–381.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costill DL, Coyle E, Dalsky G, Evans W, Fink W, Hoopes D (1977). Effects of elevated plasma FFA and insulin on muscle glycogen usage during exercise. J Appl Physiol 43, 695–699.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coulston AM, Hollenbeck CB, Liu GC, Williams RA, Starich GH, Mazzaferri EL et al. (1984). Effect of source of dietary carbohydrate on plasma glucose, insulin, and gastric inhibitory polypeptide responses to test meals in subjects with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Am J Clin Nutr 40, 965–970.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeMarco HM, Sucher KP, Cisar CJ, Butterfield GE (1999). Pre-exercise carbohydrate meals: application of glycemic index. Med Sci Sports Exerc 31, 164–170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diaz EO, Galgani JE, Aguirre CA, Atwater IJ, Burrows R (2005). Effect of glycemic index on whole-body substrate oxidation in obese women. Int J Obes (London) 29, 108–114.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Febbraio MA, Keenan J, Angus DJ, Campbell SE, Garnham AP (2000). Preexercise carbohydrate ingestion, glucose kinetics, and muscle glycogen use: effect of the glycemic index. J Appl Physiol 89, 1845–1851.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Febbraio MA, Stewart KL (1996). CHO feeding before prolonged exercise: effect of glycemic index on muscle glycogenolysis and exercise performance. J Appl Physiol 81, 1115–1120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foster-Powell K, Holt SH, Brand-Miller JC (2002). International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002. Am J Clin Nutr 76, 5–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frayn KN (1983). Calculation of substrate oxidation rates in vivo from gaseous exchange. J Appl Physiol 55, 628–634.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gold AE, MacLeod KM, Frier BM, Deary IJ (1995). Changes in mood during acute hypoglycemia in healthy participants. J Personality a Social Psychol 68, 498–504.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henry RR, Crapo PA, Thorburn AW (1991). Current issues in fructose metabolism. Annu Rev Nutr 11, 21–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hollenbeck CB, Coulston AM, Reaven GM (1988). Comparison of plasma glucose and insulin responses to mixed meals of high-, intermediate-, and low-glycemic potential. Diabetes Care 11, 323–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Taylor RH, Barker H, Fielden H, Baldwin JM et al. (1981). Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange. Am J Clin Nutr 34, 362–366.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koivisto VA, Karonen SL, Nikkila EA (1981). Carbohydrate ingestion before exercise: comparison of glucose, fructose, and sweet placebo. J Appl Physiol 51, 783–787.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig DS, Majzoub JA, Al-Zahrani A, Dallal GE, Blanco I, Roberts SB (1999). High glycemic index foods, overeating, and obesity. Pediatrics 103, E26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Messer SC, Morris RL, Gross AM (1990). Hypoglycemia and psychopathology: a short term memory, concentration, mood and blood glucose. Clin Psychol Review 10, 631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore MC, Cherrington AD, Mann SL, Davis SN (2000). Acute fructose administration decreases the glycemic response to an oral glucose tolerance test in normal adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85, 4515–4519.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paul GL, Rokusek JT, Dykstra GL, Boileau RA, Layman DK (1996). Preexercise meal composition alters plasma large neutral amino acid responses during exercise and recovery. Am J Clin Nutr 64, 778–786.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparks MJ, Selig SS, Febbraio MA (1998). Pre-exercise carbohydrate ingestion: effect of the glycemic index on endurance exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30, 844–849.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson E, Williams C, Mash L, Phillips B, Nute M (2006). Influence of high-carbohydrate mixed meals with different glycemic indexes on substrate utilization during subsequent exercise in women. Am J Clin Nutr 84, 354–360.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson E, Williams C, Nute M (2005). The influence of the glycaemic index of breakfast and lunch on substrate utilisation during the postprandial periods and subsequent exercise. Br J Nutr 93, 885–893.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas DE, Brotherhood JR, Brand JC (1991). Carbohydrate feeding before exercise: effect of glycemic index. Int J Sports Med 12, 180–186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wee SL, Williams C, Gray S, Horabin J (1999). Influence of high and low glycemic index meals on endurance running capacity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 31, 393–399.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wee SL, Williams C, Tsintzas K, Boobis L (2005). Ingestion of a high-glycemic index meal increases muscle glycogen storage at rest but augments its utilization during subsequent exercise. J Appl Physiol 99, 707–714.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams C, Nute MG, Broadbank L, Vinall S (1990). Influence of fluid intake on endurance running performance. A comparison between water, glucose and fructose solutions. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 60, 112–119.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TM, Jenkins DJ (1986). The use of the glycemic index in predicting the blood glucose response to mixed meals. Am J Clin Nutr 43, 167–172.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu CL, Nicholas C, Williams C, Took A, Hardy L (2003). The influence of high-carbohydrate meals with different glycaemic indices on substrate utilisation during subsequent exercise. Br J Nutr 90, 1049–1056.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Michelle Allmark and Claire Bennett for their help in the data collection process.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Carnegie Research Institute, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK

    S H Backhouse

  2. School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

    C Williams & M Nute

  3. School of Psychology and Sports Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

    E Stevenson

Authors
  1. S H Backhouse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E Stevenson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M Nute
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S H Backhouse.

Additional information

Contributors: SHB was involved in all parts of the study from conception to preparation of the final manuscript. CW was involved in the project design, discussion and interpretation of results and manuscript preparation. ES was involved in data analysis, discussion and interpretation of results and manuscript preparation. MN was involved in the experimental aspects of the study and sample collection, analysis and interpretation.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Backhouse, S., Williams, C., Stevenson, E. et al. Effects of the glycemic index of breakfast on metabolic responses to brisk walking in females. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 590–596 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602566

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602566

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links