To date, the optimal timing for pasta consumption remains uncertain. Based on recent evidence in the field of chrono-nutrition, it is speculated that eating pasta at dinner may have a negative impact on cardio-metabolic health. Carbohydrate intake during a period of minimal glucose tolerance could potentially alter the glycaemic profile and increase the risk of overweight and obesity. Conversely, other studies indicate that consuming carbohydrates at dinner may enhance sleep efficiency and quality. Thus, the aim of this study is, for the first time, to evaluate whether there are discernible differences between consuming pasta at lunch or dinner for the human health.
Background: Pasta plays an indisputable role in the Mediterranean diet pyramid. Indeed, it is an excellent source of carbohydrates that can be part of a varied, balanced, and healthy diet. Despite this, more and more people are avoiding it because they consider it too caloric and associate it with weight gain, especially if eaten in the evening. While it is known with certainty that the consumption of pasta, in the right quantities, is associated with positive health effects, there is limited information on the optimal time to consume it. The most common hypothesis is that it is better to consume it at lunch, as metabolism undergoes a physiological and progressive reduction as the evening approaches. Furthermore, recent findings in the field of chrono-nutrition have highlighted that glucose tolerance is high during the day and minimal during the night, suggesting that consuming a high amount of carbohydrates in the evening may predispose to weight gain and a worsened cardio-metabolic profile. On the other hand, according to some studies, consuming carbohydrates in the evening may ensure good sleep quality, as they are an excellent source of tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes serotonin production, also known as the sleep hormone. Recently, some studies on animal models have suggested that the timing of carbohydrate consumption could also impact the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota. For example, it has been observed that the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) fluctuates throughout the day under the control of the host's circadian rhythms. Considering that SCFA are produced from carbohydrates and are fundamental regulators for many metabolic processes, it could be extremely interesting to explore the relationship between "when carbohydrates are consumed" and microbial functionality. In conclusion, to date, studies that have evaluated the timing of carbohydrate consumption are limited and rely on physiological and chrono-biological assumptions rather than experimental evidence. Consequently, it is not known whether consuming pasta at lunch or dinner, in the right quantities, may have effects on human weight and health. Objective of the study: The aim of this study is to assess, for the first time, whether there is a difference between consuming pasta at lunch or dinner in terms of sleep quality, anthropometric parameters, cardiovascular risk factors, composition and functionality of the gut microbiota in a sample of normal-weight subjects. Additionally, individual chronotype will be taken into consideration, a construct indicating when a subject is most active during the day, as recent studies have highlighted its impact on dietary habits, especially in terms of "meal timing," and human health.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
70
The "pasta at dinner" nutritional intervention will consist, as the name suggests, in eating pasta at dinner for 3 months. The dietary intervention will consist of a normo-caloric diet, defined on the basis of the individual basal metabolic rate measured by indirect calorimetry and on the calculation of the participant's calorie intake extrapolated from a 3-day food diary. The diet will be of the Mediterranean type with 30% of energy coming from fats, 15-20% from proteins and the remaining 50-55% from carbohydrates (mainly complexes). Calorie intake will be distributed as follows: 20% calories at breakfast, 5% calories in the mid-morning snack, 40% calories at lunch, 5% calories in the mid-afternoon snack, 30% calories at dinner.
The "pasta at lunch" nutritional intervention will consist, as the name suggests, in eating pasta at lunch for 3 months. The dietary intervention will consist of a normo-caloric diet, defined on the basis of the individual basal metabolic rate measured by indirect calorimetry and on the calculation of the participant's calorie intake extrapolated from a 3-day food diary. The diet will be of the Mediterranean type with 30% of energy coming from fats, 15-20% from proteins and the remaining 50-55% from carbohydrates (mainly complexes). Calorie intake will be distributed as follows: 20% calories at breakfast, 5% calories in the mid-morning snack, 40% calories at lunch, 5% calories in the mid-afternoon snack, 30% calories at dinner.
Unit of Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital of Careggi
Florence, Italy
RECRUITINGSleep quality
The assessment of sleep quality will be done by actigraphy and the following parameters will be evaluated: sleep onset time, end of sleep time, waking after sleep onset, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, duration of awakenings, movement index, activity index and sleep regularity index.This assessment will be carried out at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Weight change
Measurement of body weight change in kg at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Body mass index (BMI) changes
Measurement of BMI change at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases. Weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2
Time frame: 7 months
Fat mass changes
Measurement of fat mass change at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases. Percentage of fat mass will be assessed using the Akern bioelectrical impedance analyser (model SE 101).
Time frame: 7 months
Basal Metabolic Rate
Measurement of basale metabolic rate change at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases. The basal metabolism will be defined by indirect calorimetry.
Time frame: 7 months
Fasting Blood Glucose changes
Measurement of blood glucose concentration change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) changes
Measurement of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) change in mmol/mol at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Total cholesterol changes
Measurement of total cholesterol change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
LDL-cholesterol changes
Measurement of LDL cholesterol change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
HDL-cholesterol changes
Measurement of HDL cholesterol change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Triglycerides changes
Measurement of triglycerides change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Homocysteine changes
Measurement of homocysteine change in micromoli/L at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Aspartate transaminase changes
Measurement of aspartate transaminase change in U/l at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Alanine transaminase changes
Measurement of alanine transaminase change in U/l at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Gamma-glutamyl transferase changes
Measurement of gamma-glutamyl transferase change in U/l at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Urea changes
Measurement of urea change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Creatinine changes
Measurement of creatinine change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Uric acid changes
Measurement of uric acid change in mg/dL at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Gut microbiota changes
Measurement of gut microbiota profile change at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases. Each subject will be asked for a stool sample at the beginning and at the end of each intervention phases in order to analyse the composition of the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids production.
Time frame: 7 months
Individual circadian rhythms
Circadian rhythms and the individual chronotype will be analysed for each participant through the Dim Light Melatonin Onset (DMLO) at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases. For this purpose, the NovoLytiX ELISA kit for Direct Melatonin on Saliva (EK-DSM) will be used.
Time frame: 7 months
TBARS changes
Measurement of TBARS changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
ROS changes
Measurement of ROS changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Leptin changes
Measurement of leptin changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Ghrelin changes
Measurement of ghrelin changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
Insulin changes
Measurement of insulin changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
IL-6 changes
Measurement of IL-6 changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
C-Peptide YY
Measurement of C-Peptide YY changes at the beginning and end of each of the two intervention phases.
Time frame: 7 months
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