Over the past 30 years, the glycemic index (GI) has increasingly been used as shorthand for carbohydrate food quality, with some calling for its use in federal and global dietary guidance and policy. However, GI was not originally intended to be a broad-based tool, but rather a measure of predicted glycemic impact in people with type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that the GI’s inter- and intra-individual variability limits its real-world utility, and reliance on GI has not been shown to improve overall diet quality or health outcomes compared to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines’ healthy dietary patterns. In this session, top researchers discuss more recent findings that demonstrate the GI’s limitations and offer new recommendations to more meaningfully assess the true quality of carbohydrate foods.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the purpose of the glycemic index and how it was developed
- Summarize the body of scientific evidence connecting carbohydrate intake and GI values to health outcomes
- Effectively communicate the limitations of the Glycemic Index as a maker for carb quality
“There is no fee to view the recording, but registration is required. To register, visit https://www.mcisemi.com/nutrition2022/ and select this event from the list of individual NUTRITION 2022 events available to register.”