Vegetable‐First Meal Sequence Suppresses Postprandial Glycaemic Excursions and Variability in Young Women With High‐Risk Phenotype for Early‐Onset Type 2 Diabetes: A 4‐Arm Randomized Crossover Trial With Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Minji Choi, Soyoon Lee, Eujean Bang, Ijae Seo, Jieun Lee, Sehyun Joo, Hyeonseo Kim, Song Vogue Ahn, Yuri Kim, Jieun OhABSTRACT
Aims
Managing postprandial glycaemic variability is crucial for preventing metabolic diseases. Although the effects of a vegetable‐first meal sequence on blood glucose levels have been well documented, there is limited research on consecutive, repeated meal sequencing for healthy young women. This study investigated the effects of 3‐day repeated interventions on glycaemic profiles in this population.
Materials and Methods
In this randomized crossover trial, 33 healthy Korean women consumed isocaloric test meals under four conditions: (1) VPC (vegetables‐protein‐carbohydrates meal sequence) with 35 min meal limit; (2) CPV (carbohydrates‐protein‐vegetables meal sequence) with 35 min meal limit; (3) TGR (all together without sequence) with 35 min meal limit; (4) NTL (no meal intake time limit). Glycaemic profiles and variability were examined by continuous glucose monitoring over 3 h after each meal.
Results
Compared to CPV, TGR and NTL, the VPC reduced the glucose incremental area under the curve for 0–1 h and 0–2 h and mean glucose for 0–1 h ( p < 0.05). VPC also resulted in lower peak glucose and delayed time‐to‐peak compared to CPV ( p < 0.0001). Time in range was the highest for VPC and VPC significantly reduced the mean amplitude of glycaemic excursion (MAGE) compared to all other sequences ( p < 0.05).
Conclusions
VPC improves postprandial glycaemic control, demonstrating consistent benefits across different meal constraints, including unrestricted eating (NTL). Optimizing meal sequencing represents a potential strategy for managing metabolic health and preventing early‐onset type 2 diabetes in young women.