Obesity and overweight have reached epidemic proportions worldwide. They pose a major risk of serious health problems, including type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Energy-dense diets and a sedentary lifestyle are recognized as major contributors. To combat the rising epidemic, the WHO has identified a set of dietary recommendations that include:
- Adopting a well-balanced diet based on obtaining energy from different sources, i.e.
- 55-65 % from carbohydrates
- 15-30 % from fat
- 10-15% from proteins.
- Avoiding excessive glycemic fluctuations (hyper- and hypoglycemia).
- Limiting the consumption of simple sugars (AFSSA recommendations) such as sucrose (to no more than 20% of the total permitted from carbohydrates); this is because they can rapidly raise glycemia to high levels as well as increase the production of insulin.
- Favoring the consumption of healthier complex carbohydrates (such as some starches or dextrins) and low GI foods, the aim being to slow the diffusion of glucose after a meal, thereby decreasing insulin secretion and reducing fat production (lipogenesis).
- Due to their weak impact on blood glucose and insulin production, polyols are recognized by the WHO as key ingredients for developing low GI foods.