City Research Online

Abstract

Background: Postprandial glycaemic response (PPGR) is an important determinant of cardiometabolic risk; however, the association of habitual dietary nutrient intakes with PPGR across ethnically diverse populations remains poorly understood.

Objectives: To compare differences in nutrient intakes among White Caucasian, Black African-Caribbean, and South Asian (SA) adults living in London, and to examine associations between habitual nutrient intakes and PPGRs to a standardized glucose drink and orange juice (OJ).

Methods: Eighty-six healthy adults (White: n = 35, Black: n = 17, SA: n = 34) completed a 4-day estimated food diary and two postprandial glycaemic challenges following an overnight fast. Capillary blood glucose was measured at baseline (fasting) and every 30 min for 2 h. PPGR outcomes included total area under the curve (AUC) (0–120 min) and observed peak values (PVs) for each drink.

Results: White participants reported significantly higher intakes of total energy, dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamine (B1), vitamin E, and folate than Black and/or SA participants. After adjusting for total energy intake, only dietary fiber, magnesium and folate intakes remained significantly different. SA participants exhibited significantly higher AUCs and PVs following consumption of both beverages than White participants or Black participants. In unadjusted regression analyses, nutrient intakes of dietary fiber, percentage energy from fat (fat %), and several micronutrients were associated with at least one PPGR outcome. After adjustment for age, body fat percentage, ethnicity, and total energy intake, dietary fiber, magnesium, thiamine (B1), and folate intakes were inversely associated with OJ-PV, whereas fat intake as a percentage of total energy was positively associated with OJ-AUC.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that habitual dietary nutrient intakes were associated with PPGRs. Whether these dietary differences contribute to ethnic variation in PPGR requires further investigation.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2026 Dong, Turner, Islam, Reynolds and Sarkar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Publisher Keywords:	ethnicity, food diary, habitual nutrient intakes, postprandial glycaemic responses, type 2 diabetes mellitus
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine
Departments:	School of Health & Medical Sciences School of Health & Medical Sciences > Department of Population Health & Policy School of Health & Medical Sciences > Department of Population Health & Policy > Food Policy
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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