We congratulate Thérése Hjorth who successfully defended her doctoral thesis on December 6, 2024, in Gothenburg

We congratulate Thérése Hjorth from the Department of Food and Nutrition Science at Chalmers University of Technology, who successfully defended her doctoral thesis titled “Efficacy of a Low Glycemic Index Diet and Effectiveness of Oat β-Glucans on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: Results from Randomized Controlled Trials” on December 6, 2024, in Gothenburg. The opponent was Professor Anne Nilsson from Lund University, Sweden.

In her thesis, Thérése evaluated the effects of glycemic index (GI) and dietary fiber on metabolism among individuals at elevated cardiometabolic risk. Her findings demonstrated that a low-GI diet improved postprandial glucose control and reduced glycemic variability, particularly within the context of a Mediterranean diet. Two distinct clusters of glucose response were identified, which were associated differently with type 2 diabetes risk markers and gut microbiota composition.

Her research also showed that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were not associated with glycemic control or diabetes risk factors, but acetate concentrations were positively associated with blood pressure. Furthermore, a pragmatic study found that β-glucan-enriched bread did not improve long-term glycemic control in high-risk individuals, despite previous evidence of acute benefits for blood glucose response.

The results emphasize the importance of including low-GI foods as a key dietary component for glycemic regulation and highlight the need for personalized dietary strategies to improve cardiometabolic health.

For more information on the thesis, visit Efficacy of a Low Glycemic Index Diet and Effectiveness of Oat β-Glucans on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors.

We congratulate Thérése on her successful defense and wish her all the best in her future career!