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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #285403

Title: Informing food choices and health outcomes by use of the dietary glycemic index

Author
item CHIU, CHUNG-JUNG - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item LIU, SIMIN - University Of California
item WILLETT, WALTER C. - Harvard School Of Public Health
item WOLEVER, THOMAS M. S. - University Of Toronto
item BRAND-MILLER, JENNIE C. - University Of Sydney
item BARCLAY, ALAN W. - University Of Sydney
item TAYLOR, ALLEN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: Nutrition Reviews
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2011
Publication Date: 4/1/2011
Citation: Chiu, C., Liu, S., Willett, W., Wolever, T., Brand-Miller, J., Barclay, A., Taylor, A. 2011. Informing food choices and health outcomes by use of the dietary glycemic index. Nutrition Reviews. 69(4):231-242.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Considerable epidemiologic evidence links consuming lower glycemic index (GI) diets with good health, particularly upon aging. The GI is a kinetic parameter that reflects the ability of carbohydrate (CHO) contained in consumed foods to raise blood glucose in vivo. Newer nutritional, clinical, and experimental data link intake of lower dietary GI foods to favorable outcomes of chronic diseases, and compel further examination of the record. Based upon the new information there are two specific questions: 1) should the GI concept be promoted as a way to prolong health, and 2) should food labels contain GI information? Further, what are the remaining concerns about methodological issues and consistency of epidemiological data and clinical trials that need to be resolved in order to exploit the benefits of consuming lower GI diets? These issues are addressed in this review.