Background: Cheese consumption has been associated with lower risk of type II diabetes (T2D). However, the effect of cheese with different fat content on changes in postprandial insulin and glucose remains unknown.

Objective: The aim was to compare the effect of meals containing cheese with different fat content or carbohydrate-rich foods on postprandial changes in glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol (TAG), and free fatty acids (FFAs), and subjective appetite sensations, after 12 weeks’ habituation to the diets.

Design: A 4h postprandial meal test was conducted after a 12-week randomized controlled trial. Subjects were served 1 of 3 breakfast meals: REG, 80 g regular fat cheese with 75 g wheat bread (46.4E% fat, 33E% carbohydrate, 20.6E% protein); RED, 80 g reduced fat cheese with 75 g wheat bread (33.7E% fat, 37E% carbohydrate, 29.3E% protein); CHO, 165 g white wheat bread with 25 g jam (6.5E% fat, 83.4E% carbohydrate, 10.1E% protein). Blood samples and appetite sensations were measured before and 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 min after breakfast commenced. Differences between meals were evaluated using linear mixed models. 

Results: A total of 37 subjects [mean ± SD age: 53.4 ± 12.4 y; BMI: 28.3 ± 3.8 kg/m²] completed the sub-study. Postprandial insulin response was higher after the CHO meal than after the two cheese meals (P < 0.05). At 180 and 240 min, TAG concentrations were significantly higher for the REG meal compared with the CHO and RED meals (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in FFA or subjective appetite sensations.

Conclusion: Regular fat cheese consumed for 12 weeks did not result in increased levels of postprandial glucose and insulin, but resulted in elevated postprandial TAG levels compared with an equal amount of reduced-fat cheese. Subjective appetite sensations did not differ between the meals.