Impact of different timing of consuming sweet snack on postprandial glucose excursions in healthy women

Our aim was to evaluate the acute effect of eating sweet snacks at different times of day on glycaemic parameters in young women without diabetes.In this randomized controlled three-treatment crossover study, 17 women [(means ± SD) age: 21.2 ± 0.8 years, BMI: 20.7 ± 2.5 kg/m2, HbA1c: 36 ± 2 mmol/mol (5.1 ± 0.2%)] wore flash (continuous) glucose monitoring systems for 7 days. Each participant consumed identical test meals on days 4, 5 and 6, but consumed sweet snacks (baked cake: 498 kcal; 53.6 g of carbohydrate, 8.0 g of protein, 28.0 g of fat) at 12:30 (post-lunch), 15:30 (mid-afternoon) and 19:30 (post-dinner), respectively, on each of those days. Daily glycaemic parameters on those 3 days of snacking at different times of day were compared within-participant.The mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions (3.54 ± 0.32 vs. 2.73 ± 0.20 mmol/L; P < 0.05), standard deviation of glucose (1.20 ± 0.11 vs. 0.92 ± 0.07 mmol/L; P < 0.05), incremental area under the curve (IAUC) for glucose at 12:00-07:00 (986 ± 89 vs. 716 ± 88 mmol/L × min; P < 0.05) and IAUC at 07:00-10:00 the next day (141 ± 17 vs. 104 ± 12 mmol/L × min; P < 0.05) when the snack was eaten post-dinner were all significantly higher than with mid-afternoon snacking.Eating sweet snacks post-dinner should be avoided because it worsens glucose excursions as well as postprandial glucose levels after both dinner and the following day's breakfast in young healthy (non-diabetic) women.