The risk of low energy availability among athlete females in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Low energy availability (LEA) is a state of inadequate energy reserves that results from a negative energy balance. This condition can lead to severe health risks such as amenorrhea and osteoporosis. Various causes for LEA, such as eating disorders and exercise addiction, have been reported in the literature. However, data in Saudi Arabia are lacking. This cross-sectional study measures the prevalence of LEA, eating disorders, and exercise addiction among adult females in Saudi Arabia and identifies possible associated risk factors. Methods: The sample comprised 119 female athletes who filled out an online survey adapted from the LEA in Females Questionnaire, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and the Exercise Addiction Inventory. Results: Participants showed a high prevalence of LEA (66.4%), eating disorder (33.6%), and exercise addiction (10.1%), confirming the association between normal weight and LEA in females living in Saudi Arabia (p < 0.00). Discussion and conclusion: With an increasing number of females in the country interested in following a healthy lifestyle, there is a need to raise the awareness of the population on the issues of LEA, eating disorders, and exercise addiction and their effects on the body by developing educational programs about energy intake and healthy physical activity routines.

Impact of food processing on postprandial glycaemic and appetite responses in healthy adults: a randomized, controlled trial.

Chickpeas are among the lowest glycaemic index carbohydrate foods eliciting protracted digestion and enhanced satiety responses. In vitro studies suggest that mechanical processing of chickpeas significantly increases starch digestion. However, there is little evidence regarding the impact of processing on postprandial glycaemic response in response to chickpea intake in vivo. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of mechanical processing on postprandial interstitial glycaemic and satiety responses in humans. In a randomised crossover design, thirteen normoglycaemic adults attended 4 separate laboratory visits following an overnight fast. On each occasion, one of four test meals, matched for available carbohydrate content and consisting of different physical forms of chickpeas (whole, puree, and pasta) or control (mashed potato), was administered followed by a subsequent standardised lunch meal. Continuous glucose monitoring captured interstitial glucose responses, accompanied by periodic venous blood samples for retrospective analysis of C-peptide, glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), ghrelin, leptin, resistin, and cortisol. Subjective appetite responses were measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Postprandial glycaemic responses were comparable between chickpea treatments albeit significantly lower than the control (p < 0.001). Similarly, all chickpea treatments elicited significantly lower C-peptide and GLP-1 responses compared to the control (p < 0.05), accompanied by enhanced subjective satiety responses (p < 0.05), whilst no significant differences in satiety hormones were detected among different intervention groups (p > 0.05). Chickpea consumption elicits low postprandial glycaemic responses and enhanced subjective satiety responses irrespective of processing methods.

Pulse consumption improves indices of glycemic control in adults with and without type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of acute and long-term randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of pulse intake on glycemic control are inconsistent and conclusive evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to systematically review the impact of pulse consumption on post-prandial and long-term glycemic control in adults with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: Databases were searched for RCTs, reporting outcomes of post-prandial and long-term interventions with different pulse types on parameters of glycemic control in normoglycemic and T2D adults. Effect size (ES) was calculated using random effect model and meta-regression was conducted to assess the impact of various moderator variables such as pulse type, form, dose, and study duration on ES. RESULTS: From 3334 RCTs identified, 65 studies were eligible for inclusion involving 2102 individuals. In acute RCTs, pulse intake significantly reduced peak post-prandial glucose concentration in participants with T2D (ES - 2.90; 95%CI - 4.60, - 1.21; p ≤ 0.001; I2 = 93%) and without T2D (ES - 1.38; 95%CI - 1.78, - 0.99; p ≤ 0.001; I2 = 86%). Incorporating pulse consumption into long-term eating patterns significantly attenuated fasting glucose in normoglycemic adults (ES - 0.06; 95%CI - 0.12, 0.00; p ≤ 0.05; I2 = 30%). Whereas, in T2D participants, pulse intake significantly lowered fasting glucose (ES - 0.54; 95%CI - 0.83, - 0.24; p ≤ 0.001; I2 = 78%), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (ES - 0.17; 95%CI - 0.33, 0.00; p ≤ 0.05; I2 = 78) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (ES - 0.47; 95%CI - 1.25, - 0.31; p ≤ 0.05; I2 = 79%). CONCLUSION: Pulse consumption significantly reduced acute post-prandial glucose concentration > 1 mmol/L in normoglycemic adults and > 2.5 mmol/L in those with T2D, and improved a range of long-term glycemic control parameters in adults with and without T2D. PROSPERO REGISTRY NUMBER: (CRD42019162322).