High-Fat Meal Leads To Higher Blood Glucose Than Low-Fat Meal

Recall from prior posts that a high-fat meal leads to higher blood glucose after the meal - in people with type 2 diabetes but also those with prediabetes or insulin resistance. It's thought that the fat reduces sensitivity to insulin and also causes the liver to put out more glucose. All fat does this (including olive oil) but the blood glucose rise from a meal with saturated fat (e.g. cheese) has been shown to have a more pronounced effect.

Here's a study that found the same effect in people with type 1 diabetes:

Dietary Fat Acutely Increases Glucose Concentrations and Insulin Requirements in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes, Diabetes Care, April 2013

Joslin did a great video:



It was a crossover design, so each person had a chance to eat the high-fat meal and the low-fat meal. When they ate the high-fat meal they needed more insulin to cover the same amount of carbohydrate. The meals had identical carbohydrate and protein, but different fat content (60 grams vs. 10 grams).

Of note:

"Pizza is widely recognized to cause marked late postprandial hyperglycemia."

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