Establishing protocols for glycaemic index clinical trials in an academic setting in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka has initiated a Healthy Human Clinical Trial Unit (CTU) dedicated to post-prandial glycaemic response (PPGR) analysis. The present study, involving 42 participants aged 22-25 years, assessed the glycaemic index (GI) of four rice varieties: Super Kernel, Rathu Suduru, Ceylon Purple, and Red Fragrant. The results identified GI values ranging from 40 to 61, categorizing these varieties into low and medium GI groups, with Super Kernel and Rathu Suduru representing the lowest (40 ± 5.5) and the highest (61 ± 5.5) GI values, respectively. Glycaemic load (GL) values ranged from 8 to 12, falling into low and medium categories. This pioneering initiative validates the effectiveness of CTU in precise GI and GL evaluation for food labelling, which are essential for informing consumers about how different types of food impact the sugar levels in the bloodstream. Also, it is a precedent for future clinical nutrition research, emphasizing the need for consistent and harmonized methodologies in academic and regulatory contexts to support broader public health goals by providing accurate nutritional information to consumers. The processes and standards are detailed in a comprehensive guidebook (ISBN 978-624-94637-0-7), supporting the continuation and expansion of further PPGR studies.