Impact of Bedtime Snacks on Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes

Fifteen patients with physician diagnosed type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 6.5-9%), between the ages of 30-80 years, and not on exogenous insulin therapy, will complete three, 3-day intervention periods (proof-of-concept randomized trial). Participants will consume a standardized diet for three days with either i) two hard-boiled eggs, ii) fruit yogurt; or iii) control no-bedtime snack, thirty minutes prior to bedtime. Fasting blood samples will be obtained on Day 4 in the morning after following each 3-day dietary intervention. Blood glucose will be monitored continuously across the intervention period using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). CGM allows for the moment-to-moment changes in blood glucose to be examined for several days, allowing the unique opportunity to examine the glucose responses at different points of the day, including fasting hyperglycemia in the morning, nocturnal glucose, and postprandial glucose in response to meals. To our knowledge, CGM technology has never been used in a bedtime snacking study in type 2 diabetes.