Glycaemic Index of Commonly Eaten Dough Staple Foods among Diabetics and Non-Diabetics in Makurdi

Abstract

Starchy dough food is the most commonly consumed food in Nigeria. However, the recent disease epidemiological changes from communicable to non-communicable diseases, has implicated changes in occupational choice from farming to sedentary works and consumption of predominantly dough starchy food as a notable culpable cause. Hence, this study examined the glycaemic impact of the commonly eaten staple starchy foods in Nigerian subjects. Therefore, the study aims to determine glycaemic Index of commonly eaten dough foods on healthy subjects and diabetics. This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 16 healthy staff and diabetic patients from Benue State University Teaching Hospital. Each participant ingested food products (pounded yam, amala, fufu and garri) (equivalent of 50g glucose) and 50 g of reference meal. Samples were taken for blood glucose at intervals of0, 30, 60, 90,120 mins. The area under curve was determined using trapezoid method for different time intervals. The sum of area under curve for each test food was divided by the sum of area under curve for standard glucose and multiplied by 100 to determine the glycaemic index of the food products respectively. In this study the glycaemic index for diabetic group after intake of pounded yam, amala, garri and fufu were 80.95%, 69.32%, 84.08% and 97.04% respectively and for apparently healthy group it was 80.81%, 71.63%, 80.59% and 94.81% respectively. Glycaemic index for pounded yam, amala, fufu and garri is high in diabetics and healthy subjects. However, Cassava meals had higher glycaemic index compared to amala which is a yam product. Therefore, consumption of these starchy dough foods should be less frequent and in smaller portions in individual at risk of diabetes mellitus and diabetics.