Overweight and obesity affect nearly 2.5 billion adults worldwide and increase cardiometabolic risk. Postprandial glucose excursions are influenced by diet and inactivity and predict metabolic disorders, while South Asians, particularly Pakistanis, are more vulnerable due to genetic and lifestyle factors and processed diets. This study evaluates the impact of chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) ingestion on postprandial glycemia and appetite in overweight adults, supporting UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). A randomized controlled crossover trial will be conducted among 30 overweight adults (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m²), aged 18-40 years. Participants will undergo control and intervention phases separated by a 14-day washout. The control beverage will contain 50 g glucose in 250 mL water, while the intervention beverage will contain the same beverage supplemented with 30 g chia seeds. Glucose response will be assessed using incremental area under the curve (iAUC) by the trapezoidal method, with appetite response also evaluated. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 25; baseline characteristics will be presented as mean ± SD, and between-group differences will be assessed using a linear mixed model at p \< 0.05. Chia seed ingestion is expected to reduce postprandial blood glucose and improve appetite control.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
Participants will consume a standardized beverage containing 50 g glucose dissolved in 250 mL water, without chia seeds or any other fiber-containing ingredient. This beverage will serve as the control condition for comparison with the chia seed-supplemented glucose beverage.
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore
Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan
Postprandial Blood Glucose
Incremental area under the blood glucose curve (iAUC) will be calculated from capillary blood glucose concentrations measured using a portable blood glucose meter (glucometer) from finger-prick blood samples at baseline (0 minutes) and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes following beverage consumption. The iAUC will be calculated using the trapezoidal method over the 120-minute postprandial period, with fasting baseline glucose concentration used as the reference. Areas below the baseline will not contribute to the iAUC. The iAUC will be expressed in mmol·min/L. A lower iAUC indicates a lower overall postprandial glycemic response over 120 minutes. The change in iAUC between the intervention (50 g glucose + 30 g chia seeds) and control (50 g glucose) beverages will be compared.
Time frame: 5 weeks
Appetite Response
Appetite will be assessed using 100-mm Visual Analog Scales for hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and prospective food consumption. Each scale ranges from 0 to 100 mm. For hunger, desire to eat, and prospective food consumption, 0 indicates the lowest intensity ("not at all"/"nothing at all") and 100 indicates the highest intensity ("extremely"/"an extremely large amount"); higher scores indicate greater appetite. For fullness, 0 indicates not at all full and 100 indicates extremely full; higher scores indicate greater fullness and better appetite suppression.
Time frame: 5 weeks
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