Meta-analysis of Low GI/GL Diets and Cardiometabolic Risk in Diabetes

Low glycemic index and low glycemic load diets have been shown to improve glycemic control and cardiometabolic risk factors in randomized controlled trials in people with diabetes and are associated with reduced incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in prospective cohort studies inclusive of people with diabetes. These benefits have been recognized in the most recent updates of the clinical practice guidelines for the management of diabetes from the U.S., Canada, UK, and Australia. The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) also recommends low-GI/GL diets but has not updated their guidance in 15 years. To support the update of the EASD clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy, the investigators conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the totality of the available evidence from randomized controlled trials of the effect of low GI/GL dietary patterns on glycemic control and other established cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with diabetes. The findings generated by this proposed knowledge synthesis will help improve the health of consumers through informing evidence-based guidelines and improving health outcomes by educating healthcare providers and patients, stimulating industry innovation, and guiding future research design.