Big dippers: Overeating caused by blood sugar drops hours after eating, finds Zoe-backed study

13 Apr 2021 --- Blood sugar dips occurring between two to four hours after eating could be causing increases in hunger and resulting in overeating and excessive weight gain in certain people, highlighting the importance of personalized nutrition, according to research conducted at King’s College London. 

The study, performed in collaboration with researchers from health science company Zoe, contradicts traditional beliefs regarding postprandial (after meal) blood sugar spikes. 

Previous studies looking at blood sugar after eating have focused on how levels rise and fall in the first two hours after a meal, known as a blood sugar peak. 

However, this new research has found that some people experienced significant “sugar dips” two to four hours after eating, where their blood sugar levels fell rapidly below baseline before coming back up.

Speaking to NutritionInsight, Dr. Ana Valdes, a co-study author, Zoe-collaborator and a professor at the University of Nottingham, UK, says the nutrition industry must “appreciate that the glycemic index, although very important for a number of health traits, is not a modulator of appetite.” 

“Glycemic responses in the context of appetite and subsequent energy intake must focus on the two to four hours postprandially,” she asserts. 

Recently published in Nature Metabolism, the study is part of the Personalized Responses to Dietary Composition Trial (PREDICT). 

Some consumers experience large dips in blood sugar hours after mealtimes, leading to overeating and weight gain.Big dippers
The research team collected data on blood sugar responses and other health markers from 1,070 people after eating standardized breakfasts and freely chosen meals over two weeks, equaling more than 8,000 breakfasts and 70,000 meals in total. 

The standard breakfasts were based on muffins containing an equal number of calories but varying in carbohydrate composition, protein, fat and fiber. 

Participants carried out a fasting blood sugar response test, called an oral glucose tolerance test, to measure how well their bodies processed sugar.

Participants also wore stick-on continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to measure their blood sugar levels over the entire duration of the study and a wearable device to monitor activity and sleep. 

They recorded hunger and alertness levels using the Zoe phone app, along with exactly when and what they ate over the day.

The results showed that some consumers experienced significant glucose dips two to four hours after mealtimes. 

These “big dippers” had a 9 percent increase in hunger and waited on average half an hour less before eating another meal than others, even though they ate the same meals.

Big dippers also ate 75 more calories in the three to four hours after breakfast and around 312 calories more over the whole day than little dippers. This kind of pattern could potentially turn into 20 lb of weight gain over a year, note the researchers. 

The findings show different physiological responses to identical diets, further supporting personalization for nutrition.Tackling obesity 
Valdes notes the results prove that a personalized, physiological approach should be taken to nutrition rather than a purely psychological approach. 

“Whereas much of the study of appetite control has focused on neuropeptides and cognitive behavioral therapy, our data show breakfasts identical in the number of calories but resulting in different levels of glucose dips can result in eating 300 calories more during the day.” 

“This suggests these can be targets for reducing the obesity epidemic,” she remarks. 

Not everyone has a dip to the same meals, and not everyone has the same dips all of the time. Exercise and sleep levels may be contributing factors, Valdes notes. 

“Our discovery that the size of sugar dips after eating has such a big impact on hunger and appetite has great potential for helping people understand and control their weight and long-term health.”

Zoe nutrition and personalization 
The Zoe health science company, which partly funded the PREDICT research, aids weight management through a personalized test kit and nutrition app. 

Zoe offers eating plans to help people hit their healthiest weight by reducing dietary inflammation and supporting the gut through its services. 

The company is also the creator of the COVID Symptom Study app, which uses AI and symptom data to predict the spread of COVID-19 in real-time.

Innova Market Insights recently pegged “Tailored to Fit” as a top trend for 2021, noting that consumers expect a tailored approach to eating, with technological breakthroughs, new launches and sensorial experiences providing the opportunity for customized lifestyles to extend to F&B consumption.

By Louis Gore-Langton