Impact of the Glycaemic Load of Meals on Mood in Older Adults
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The impact of the glycaemic load of meals on the mood of older adults within a care home setting.
IRAS ID
224924
Contact name
Marie-Ann Ha
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Anglia Ruskin University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 2 days
Research summary
Our mood can be affected by the foods we eat. The glycaemic load (GL) of a meal measures its impact on blood glucose response. High GL meals are rapidly digested and tend to cause spikes in blood glucose which fluctuates to very low levels. When blood glucose levels are extremely low, our brains are deprived of glucose resulting in difficulty in thinking and poorer mood. Low GL meals avoid these rapid drops and may favour positive moods. Providing evidence of the impact of GL on mood is why this study is important. Existing studies were done on children who metabolise glucose more optimally than older adults.
With ageing, energy needs decrease while micro-nutrient requirements remain or increase, necessitating a more nutrient-dense diet to meet nutritional needs. Inadequate nutrient intake leads to various diseases. Problems of sub-optimal nutrition have been examined in free living elderly however this study seeks to examine whether older adults in care homes are receiving adequate nutrition. Information such as this will allow care homes to optimise nutritional offerings and improve the health of residents.
The research question is: "Does the glycaemic load of meals alter the mood of older adults residing in care homes?" The primary objective is to assess the impact of high glycaemic load meals and low glycaemic load meals on the mood of older adults within a care home setting.
It is a population based study using a quantitative approach involving 100 adults over the age of 60 (including those with early to middle stage dementia) residing in 4 care homes in Cambridgeshire. The study duration per site will be a month. This will include nutrient analyses and profiling of the monthly menu. Participants will be required to answer a validated mood questionnaire on 2 occasions.REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0613
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion