Effect of Whole Grain Diet on Insulin Sensitivity, Advanced Glycation End Products and Inflammatory Markers in Pre-diabetes

Food products derived from cereal grains constitute a major part of the daily diet of many
Americans . For example, a typical Chinese American eats rice about 9.5 times a week on an
average. However, most of these foods are derived from refined grain. During the refining
process grains are stripped of their bran and germ which results in depletion of several
biologically active constituents including fiber, anti-oxidants, phytoestrogens and
minerals. From observational studies there is evidence for a protective effect of
whole-grain foods with regard to the development of type 2 diabetes. More recently, higher
intake of whole grains was also associated with decreases in insulin resistance - a risk
factor related to the development of type 2 diabetes.

In this randomized study the investigators plan to replicate this beneficial effect of
improving insulin sensitivity in patients with pre-diabetes and go a step further by
exploring the potential mechanisms by which this benefit may occur. The investigators will
assess the effect of consuming a whole-grain-rich diet on levels of advanced glycation
endproducts (AGE), RAGE (receptor for AGE) and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress
- all of which have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes
mellitus. The investigators will also look for correlations between the levels of these
markers with insulin sensitivity to identify potential mechanisms of pathogenesis.