Postprandial Responses to Typical UK Meal Nutrient Profiles
Condition: Nutrition
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of the current study is to investigate the postprandial metabolic response to
      typically consumed fat and carbohydrate doses in single meals. An additional aim is to
      validate the use of dry blood spot (DBS) for triglyceride analysis versus venous blood
      sampling.
    

Detailed description: 
      Background: Dietary fat consumption is one of the major modifiable risk factors implicated in
      the causation of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Postprandial lipaemia (PPL); the increase in
      circulating blood triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations after a fat containing meal, is an
      independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about how
      different doses of fats as found in typical UK meals will influence the level of PPL.

      The majority of research into PPL, including work by our own group and others has largely
      focused on the postprandial effect following high fat meals, with the primary goal of
      assessing mechanisms underlying fat metabolism. However, these findings are not relevant from
      a public health perspective; in reality the average fat content of a meal is much lower than
      this (~20- 30 g fat, (NDNS, 2013/4)); therefore it is important to assess the impact of doses
      of fat in this range on PPL to be relevant to public health. The few dose response studies
      that have been performed assessing fat load and PPL have used liquid test meals that are not
      relevant to every day meals.

      PPL is usually measured by taking a series of blood samples from a cannula, however this is
      an invasive procedure. There has been an increase in the development of less invasive
      biochemical assessment, e.g. urine or saliva analysis or dried blood spot (DBS) analysis. DBS
      analysis is particularly advantageous as samples can be easily collected by the individual
      under assessment with minimal equipment and transferred easily for analysis via the post,
      providing simple home-testing. Frequently, postprandial research studies will draw blood from
      the cannula for multiple related outcomes and therefore, performing multiple assays from one
      DBS sample would be advantageous in minimizing participant discomfort.

      Aim: The primary aim of the current study is to investigate the postprandial response
      following typical UK meal nutrient profiles containing 20-30g fat. Secondary aims will be to
      test the feasibility for measuring PPL, insulin, c-peptide and performing metabolomic
      analysis from DBS versus serum blood analysis. Further, it will assess the best practice for
      collection (venous versus finger prick) and storage (ambient versus freezer) of the DBS
      samples.

      Hypothesis: Typical UK meal nutrient profiles will elicit detectable PPL. Further, DBS will
      be an effective method for measuring postprandial outcomes.

      Expected value: The study will provide novel information on the effect of fat doses from
      typical UK meals on PPL. It will also provide feasibility for using DBS for measuring
      postprandial responses.
    

Intervention name(s): Metabolic test meal challenge
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Metabolic test meal challenge
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science