Session/Event: Energy and Macronutrient Metabolism (Oral 12)

(OR12-06-22) Restricting Sugar or Carbohydrate Intake Does Not Impact Physical Activity Level or Energy Intake Over 24 Hours Despite Changes in Substrate Use: A Randomised Crossover

On Demand

Presenting Author(s)

Aaron Hengist, PhD

PhD student
University of Bath
Bath, England, United Kingdom

Disclosure: Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

View Presentation

Co-Author(s)

RD

Russell G. Davies

University of Bath
PR

Peter J. Rogers, PhD

Professor of Biological Psychology
University of Bristol
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
JB

Jeff M. Brunstrom

University of Bristol
Lv

Luc J.C. van Loon, PhD

Professor
Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, the Netherlands; TiFN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
JW

Jean-Philippe Walhin

University of Bath
DT

Dylan Thompson

University of Bath
FK

Françoise Koumanov

University of Bath
JB

James A. Betts

University of Bath
JG

Javier T. Gonzalez

University of Bath

Objectives: To determine the effects of dietary sugar or carbohydrate restriction on physical activity energy expenditure, energy intake, and physiological outcomes across 24 hours.

Methods: In a randomised, open-label crossover design, twenty-five healthy men (n=10) and women (n=15) consumed three diets over a 24-hour period: moderate carbohydrate and sugar content (MODSUG = 50% carbohydrate [20% sugars], 15% protein, 35% fat); low sugar content (LOWSUG = 50% carbohydrate [ < 5% sugars], 15% protein, 35% fat); and low carbohydrate content (LOWCHO = 8% carbohydrate [ < 5% sugars], 15% protein, 77% fat). Postprandial metabolic responses to a prescribed breakfast (20% EI) were monitored under laboratory conditions before an ad libitum test lunch, with subsequent diet and physical activity monitoring under free-living conditions until blood sample collection the following morning.

Results: The MODSUG, LOWSUG and LOWCHO diets resulted in similar mean [95%CI] rates of both physical activity energy expenditure (771 [624, 919] vs 677 [565, 789] vs 802 [614, 991] kcal·d^-1; p=0.29] and energy intake (2071 [1794, 2347] vs 2195 [1918, 2473] vs 2194 [1890, 2498] kcal·d^-1; p=0.34), respectively. The LOWCHO condition elicited the lowest glycaemic and insulinemic responses to breakfast (p < 0.01) but the highest 24-h increase in LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001), with no differences between the MODSUG and LOWSUG treatments. Leptin concentrations were decreased over 24-h of consuming LOWCHO relative to LOWSUG (p < 0.01).

Conclusions: When energy density is controlled for, restricting either sugar or total dietary carbohydrate does not modulate physical activity level and energy intake over a 24-hour period despite large changes in metabolism.

Funding Sources: This study was supported by The Rank Prize Funds and Kenniscentrum Suiker and Voeding.