Daily, more and more people consume snack bars that may have an impact on blood glucose levels. The aim of the present study was to compare the acute effects of a common snack and a plant-based snack bar (PB) that was developed at the University of Thessaly as a functional diabetic snack on blood glucose and insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Adults with T2DM (n = 10) treated with oral medications were studied in a randomized, crossover clinical trial. On each trial day, postprandial glucose and insulin levels were measured at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min, and a morning snack containing 25 g of carbohydrate was consumed. The procedure was carried out on 2 days, with one of the test meals being consumed on each day. Consumption of a PB snack bar resulted in a smaller and steeper increase in postprandial glucose and insulin levels compared with the usual snack, and there were significant differences 60 and 90 min after consumption of the two tested snacks. The PB snack bar is rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and can therefore be suggested as a nutritious and convenient snack for patients with T2DM. In addition, the extract of the snack bar was tested for its bioactivity in human cell cultures.

Purpose. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in uncomplicated young adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and sex- and age-matched controls, using both dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) to investigate their diagnostic ability in detecting abnormal values in these patients. Methods. 118 patients with T1DM (65 females, mean age years) and 94 sex- and age-matched controls were studied. BMD was assessed in all participants by DXA and QCT at lumbar spine (LS). Biochemical markers of bone metabolism were also measured. Results. T1DM was associated with lower BMD at L1-L3 vertebrae measured by both DXA and QCT and lower bone turnover compared to sex- and age-matched controls. In T1DM subjects, QCT detected more patients with abnormal BMD values compared to DXA. BMI and HbA1c levels were the only determinants of BMD. Bone turnover markers were lower in patients with longer duration of diabetes. Conclusion. QCT provides a higher sensitivity compared to DXA in detecting abnormal BMD values in patients with uncomplicated T1DM. In these patients, the diabetes-related decreased BMD may be present early, before it is detected by DXA, the clinical gold standard for BMD measurements, and before the presence of any other diabetes complications, stressing the importance of an early intervention for fracture prevention.