ARS | Publication request: Effects of Dietary Glycemic Load on Mood During Caloric Restriction

Submitted to: Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: December 1, 2005
Publication Date: March 1, 2006
Citation: Cheatham, R.A., Lieberman, H.R., Das, S., Saltzman, E., Gilhooly, C.L., Golden, J.K., Roberts, S. 2006. Effects of dietary glycemic load on mood during caloric restriction. Experimental Biology. 20:A426.

Technical Abstract: A 1-yr randomized hypocaloric trial tested the effects of high glycemic load (HG: 60% high glycemic index carbohydrate, 20% fat, 20% protein) and low glycemic load (LG: 40% lower glycemic index carbohydrate, 30% fat, 30% protein) diets on mood parameters in 28 healthy men and women (mean+/-SD, age 35+/-6y; BMI 27.6+/-1.4kg/m2). Subjects were randomized to the HG and LG diets, both at 30% caloric restriction. All food was provided for 6 mo, and then subjects were instructed to self-administer the same dietary patterns for a further 6mo. Self-reported mood was assessed with the Profile of Mood States (POMS), providing six sub-scales: tension-anxiety (T), depression-dejection (D), anger-hostility (A), fatigue-inertia (F), vigor-activity (V) and confusion-bewilderment (C). Using a mixed effects model with repeated measures at baseline, 1, 6 and 12 mo and controlling for weight loss, T differed over time in a manner dependent upon diet (time x diet p=0.046), with an overall decrease of T among the LG group. On post-hoc testing, the 0-6 mo difference scores for T (p=0.006) and D (p=0.033) varied between diets, with T and D decreasing on LG. The 1-yr difference score for F (p=0.011) differed between diets, with F decreasing on LG. These results suggest that consumption of the LG diet used in this study improves several mood parameters during caloric restriction, compared to consumption of a HG diet.