Glycemic index predicts adiposity in schoolchildren

A comment from Pedro-Marques Vidal, on behalf of the EACPR Prevention, Epidemiology and Population Science Section

Date: 16 Nov 2010

Glycaemic index and body fat distribution in children: The results of the ARCA project.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2010; Advance online publication

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Glycaemic index (GI) is the ability of a food to increase glycaemia after ingestion; sugary foods have a higher GI than fiber-rich foods.

A group of Italian researchers assessed the associations between GI, body mass index and body fat in a sample of 3734 children aged 6-11 years.

They found that children who consumed a diet with a high GI (for instance rich in sodas or sweets) had a two-fold increased risk of being overweight/obese or of presenting with an enlarged waist.

Authors: P. Marques-Vidal, on behalf of the EACPR Prevention, Epidemiology and Population Science Section

The content of this article reflects the personal opinion of the author/s and is not necessarily the official position of the European Society of Cardiology