Postprandial effects of breakfast glycaemic index on cognitive performance among young, healthy adults: A crossover clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the postprandial effects of high and low glycaemic index (GI) breakfasts on cognitive performance in young, healthy adults.

Methods: A crossover clinical trial including 40 young, healthy adults (aged 20–40 years, 50% females) recruited from primary healthcare centres in Salamanca, Spain. Verbal memory, phonological fluency, attention, and executive functions were examined 0, 60, and 120 minutes after consuming a low GI (LGI), high GI (HGI), or water breakfast. Every subject tried each breakfast variant, in a randomized order, separated by a washout period of 7 days, for a total of 3 weeks.

Results: A significant interaction between the type of breakfast consumed and immediate verbal memory was identified (P<.05). We observed a trend towards better performance in verbal memory (delayed and immediate), attention, and phonological fluency following an LGI breakfast.

Discussion: Cognitive performance during the postprandial phase in young, healthy adults was minimally affected by the GI of breakfast. The potential for breakfast’s GI modulation to improve short- and long-term cognitive functioning requires further research.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Breakfast
• Glycaemic index
• Postprandial period
• Cognitive performance
• Verbal memory
• Phonological fluency
• Attention
• Executive functions

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all professionals participating in the BGI Group: N. Sánchez-Aguadero, M. C. Patino-Alonso, S. Mora-Simón, M. A. Gómez-Marcos, R. Alonso-Domínguez, B. Sánchez-Salgado, J. I. Recio-Rodríguez, L. García-Ortiz, A. de Cabo-Laso, C. Rodríguez-Martin, C. Agudo-Conde, J. A. Maderuelo-Fernández, and E. Rodríguez-Sánchez.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding This study was supported by grants from the Regional Health Management of Castilla and León through the 2015 Announcement of Grants for the Performance of Research Projects in Biomedicine, Health Management, and Social and Health Care (GRS 1192/B/15), the 2015 Program for Intensification of Nursing Research Activity (BOCYL-D-03032015-11), and the 2015 Incentive Program of Professional Nurses Completing their Residency (ORDER SAN/360/2015) as well as the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBI17/00016), and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) , and the Carlos III Health Institute/European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Network RedIAPP RD16/0007/0003).

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval The Clinical Research Ethics Committee (CREC) of the Health Area of Salamanca approved the study on 14 April 2015.

ORCID

Natalia Sanchez-Aguadero http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5816-1494

Jose I. Recio-Rodriguez http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3772-8746

Maria C. Patino-Alonso http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8232-6685

Sara Mora-Simon http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2772-6971

Rosario Alonso-Dominguez http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5816-4070

Manuel A. Gomez-Marcos http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-6123

Luis Garcia-Ortiz http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6555-8302