Effect of Dietary Fibre on Blood Glucose, Plasma Immunoreactive Insulin, C-peptide and GIP Responses in Non Insulin Dependent (type 2) Diabetics and Controls

A high fibre and a low fibre breakfast meal were given to eight non insulin dependent diabetics ( NIDD ), and eight controls. Blood glucose response was monitored continuously for three hours and characterized using a straight line model. After the high fibre meal the rates of increase and decrease in blood glucose concentration were slower both in diabetics and controls than after the low fibre meal. The delay time, however, i.e. the time from meal intake to the start of glucose increase, hypothetically corresponding to gastric emptying time, was the same after both test meals. The postprandial glucose increment calculated as the area under the 0-120 min curve was lower after the high fibre meal in the NIDD , but not in the controls. The two-hour C-peptide and gastric inhibitory polypeptide values were lower for the diabetics after the high fibre breakfast. The results indicate a prolonged carbohydrate digestion and/or absorption after high fibre breakfast.