Thursday 14 March 2019 4:47pm
Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research (EDOR) postdoctoral fellow Dr Andrew Reynolds and Professor Jim Mann led a study into wholegrain particle size and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This randomised crossover trial involved giving participants wholegrain foods for a period of two weeks. In one period the whole grains were eaten as is, such as traditional oats. For the other period the whole grains were finely milled, such as in wholemeal bread. This trial was to test if processing the whole grains influences the blood glucose control of people with type 2 diabetes when they eat them.
Dr Reynolds was assisted in the trial by visiting Swedish postgraduate student Sebastian Åberg. Sebastian has a Bachelor's degree in nutrition science and carried out this project as part of a Master's program in nutrition science at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. He thinks this project fitted well with his research and travel interests:
"I'm interested in public health matters such as strategies to prevent or manage obesity and type 2 diabetes, but also this is a chance for me to live in New Zealand."
Find out about the trial results
- Whole-Grain Processing and Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial, Diabetes Care, May 2020
- Unprocessed whole grains more beneficial - study, Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan, Radio NZ, 19 May 2020 (9min55sec)
- Higher fibre saves lives, but food processing may remove benefits, University of Otago, 19 May, 2020
Read more about EDOR's postgraduate students
View our postgraduate profiles and find out what led Sebastian to join the EDOR research team in New Zealand.
FUNDING
This trial was funded by a Laurenson Award from the Otago Medical Research Foundation.
