Ordered Eating and Acute Exercise

There is well documented evidence that ingesting dietary carbohydrate in large amounts tends to increase postprandial glucose. In healthy populations, this is not necessarily a problem, but continuous exposure to high levels of glucose-hyperglycemia-is a defining characteristic and risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Consuming a carbohydrate-rich food as the final food in a meal sequence has been shown to significantly reduce postprandial glucose excursions in both diabetes patients and in healthy controls. The exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not well understood, but one proposed course is simply that the vegetable and protein already being digested slows the rate of glucose rise.

Despite the findings, little-to-no research has examined how manipulating the order of foods in a meal impacts subsequent exercise responses. In this experimental crossover study, each participant will undergo two acute feeding conditions (carbohydrate-rich foods first vs. last in a meal), which will be followed by exercise 60 minutes later. We will observe the effects of meal order on postprandial glucose, substrate/fuel utilization, and subjective perceptions at rest and during 30 minutes of exercise.