Clinical Study attributes
The overall goal of this investigation is to determine gut microbiome dependent and independent impacts of pulse consumption on metabolic resilience and metabolic risk profiles for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Specifically, pulse crop consumption has unrealized potential to fundamentally alter how the body responds to disease promoting metabolic stresses of postprandial triglyceride and inflammation responses. The specific objectives are to (1) Determine the impact of green lentil consumption on postprandial triglyceride (TG) and inflammation responses to a high-fat meal challenge. (2) Determine the extent to which the gut microbiome and changes in the gut microbiome induced by pulse consumption influence health impacts (3) Measure metabolomic profiles to elucidate underlying mechanisms linking pulse consumption to improved health. To achieve these objectives investigators will determine the effects of green lentil on high impact risk factors of large postprandial triglyceride excursions and inflammation, composition of and changes in the gut microbiomes, and both gut and serum metabolomes in overweight/obese (OW/OB) individuals with elevated risk. The 12-week intervention will consist of consumption of 4.6 or 0 cups of pulses per week across 7 pre-made meals (matched for macronutrient content (except fiber) provided to experimental and control groups. The following hypotheses will be tested in the proposed investigation: H1: Lentil consumption lower postprandial TG and inflammation responses and improve overall metabolic health. H2: Characteristics of the gut microbiome and changes in the gut microbiome induced by lentil consumption substantially influence health impacts of pulse consumption. H3: Features of the fecal and serum metabolomes distinguishing lentil and control treatments correspond to metabolic pathways elucidating potential gut microbiome dependent and independent mechanisms linking pulse consumption to improved health.
