[The application of the glycemic index to the treatment of diabetes mellitus in the elderly].

For the application of the glycemic index (GI) to the therapy of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the elderly, effects of aging and foods were studied in 3 groups of subjects, conducting 3 oral tests of equal calories, namely, glucose, white bread (high-GI meal) and kidney beans (low-GI meal). Group I: healthy adults (N = 7), Group II: elderly non-DM (N = 7), Group III: elderly DM (N = 7). No significant changes with age could be found in blood glucose or GI. However, ingestion of a low-GI meal revealed excellent inhibitory effects upon postprandial glycemic elevation in the elderly diabetics. This implies the clinical usefulness of a low-GI meal (beans) for postprandial glycemic regulation in elderly diabetes mellitus.