Low Glycemic Load Diets in Latino Children at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

The subjects and their parents will be given instructions, and specific examples, to lower the glycemic load of their diets by replacing high-GI sources of carbohydrates with low-GI food sources, replacing energy from carbohydrate with energy from protein and fat, and attempt to balance meals and snacks with low-GI carbohydrate, proteins and low-fat food sources. The objective will be to achieve macronutrient composition for the low-GL diet of 45-50% low-GI carbohydrates, 20-25% protein, and 30-35% fat. All subjects will receive sessions on behavior modification, increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior. At 3 months, subjects will be admitted to the GCRC for a 24 hour period for a meal study. They will be given standardized low-glycemic load diet for dinner, breakfast and lunch, followed by an ad lib snack platter. Their subjective, hormonal and metabolic responses will be serially measured.

For the low fat diet, subjects and their parents will be given instructions, and specific examples, to lower the fat content of their diet. The composition of the low-fat diet will be targeted to achieve 55-60% carbohydrates (with no discrimination by their glycemic index), 15-20% protein and 25-30% fat. All recruited children will receive sessions on behavior modification, increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior. At 3 months, subjects will be admitted to the GCRC for a 24 hour period for a meal study. They will be given standardized high-glycemic load diet for dinner, breakfast and lunch, followed by an ad lib snack platter. Their subjective, hormonal and metabolic responses will be serially measured.