Is Insulin Sensitivity Improved by Diets Rich in Whole Grains?

Abstract

O ver the past decade, most observational studies have observed that people who consume more whole-grain foods have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A recent meta-analysis of these data concluded that a 2-serving-per-day increment in whole-grain consumption reduced diabetes risk by 21%. Since the release of the last (2005) Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), several studies have attempted to determine whether greater consumption of whole grains improves insulin sensitivity (ie, that peripheral fat and skeletal muscle cells are sensitive to the glucose-lowering effects of the hormone insulin) and other diabetes risk factors. In this review, we highlight some of the more recent scientific evidence (ie, since 2005) relating whole grains to measures of insulin sensitivity.