Abstract:

Background: Postprandial hyperglycemia is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels to values greater than 7.8mmol/L (140mg/dl) following a meal. Postprandial spikes of hyperglycemia predispose individuals to various metabolic abnormalities such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction which are the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Since the high prevalence of metabolic diseases is related to individuals’ lifestyles including dietary habits, understanding how different meal plans influence postprandial blood glucose response is essential for developing targeted dietary strategies that will optimize metabolic health and prevent metabolic diseases.

Objectives: This study intended to determine the patterns and associated factors of post-prandial blood glucose response following ingestion of commonly offered and recommended meal plans.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2024, using a convenient sampling technique to recruit participants. The study included 50 non-diabetic students aged 20 to 40 available at CUHAS-Mwanza, Tanzania at the time of study and who consented to participate in the study. Participants suffering from any illness including metabolic diseases like diabetes with or without medications, and those allergic to the meal plans of interest were excluded from the study. Eligible participants were tested for fasting blood glucose levels before ingestion of specific meal plans and postprandial blood glucose levels after ingestion of a specified meal plan at 30 min, 2 hours, and 4 hours for a given day by using a glucometer for three days. The postprandial and fasting blood glucose levels were recorded among the individuals to determine variations and associated factors for the variation. Data analysis was done using STATA version 16.5 according to the objectives of the study

Results: A total of 50 participants were included in the study with a mean age of 23.64 years, the majority of participants (58%) were males. The mean BMI was 21.63 kg/m2 and the majority (96%) had normal BMI. The mean highest blood glucose levels for each meal plan are 6.49mmol/L, 6.03mmol/L, and 5.7mmol/L for meal plan A (rice-based meal), meal plan B (recommended meal plan), and meal plan C (egg chips), respectively, with rice-based meal contributing to the highest rise in blood glucose levels when compared to the other meal plans.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that different meal compositions significantly impact postprandial glucose levels. Meal Plans A and B had similar trends in glucose excursions, with meal Plan B being slightly more effective in controlling the glucose spike, likely due to its balanced composition of macronutrients and high fiber content. Meal Plan C, revealed a rapid spike and quick normalization, indicating that the fried potato and egg meal may cause more immediate but short-lived glucose changes.