Gary Frost
Imperial College London
Research focus
My research interests are very diverse and some are listed below:
Dietary Carbohydrates: These are a major focus of my work has been on the role of dietary carbohydrates on appetite regulation, insulin resistances and lipid metabolism in particular the glycaemic index as a model of the physiological effects of carbohydrates. We were the first to demonstrate the impact of low glycaemic diets on adipocyte metabolism. With Professor Jimmy Bell we have used an integrative physiological approach to investigating the role of dietary carbohydrates on body composition and appetite regulation.
Short Chain Fatty Acids: These are produces of microbial fermentation of dietary carbohydrate in the gastrointestinal track. Our research program in partnership with the University of Glasgow has lead to the new understanding of the role for these molecules in appetite regulation.
Food Structure: Over the last five years in partnership with colleagues at the Quadram Institute, John Innes Centre and the University of Glasgow we have had a major interest in how food structure influences human metabolism.
Obesity Management: My group is part of the section of Division Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism which is headed by Professor Bloom where we have been part of the team that demonstrated the importance of a number of gut peptides in appetite regulation peptides in appetite regulation. We also have an on going project investigating the role of nutrients in the secretion of appetite regulating peptides and a major interest in the basic nutritional physiology involved in energy balance.
Dietary intake: One of the major nutritional challenges is the actuate assessment of food intake in free living people. With Prof Holmes, Dr Garcia, Dr Posma and Prof Nicholson with had made a significant contribution by using metabolic profiling to improve dietary reporting. Also with Prof Yang and Dr Lo we are developing new camera technology to improve dietary reporting.
Focus in CoDiet
Gary Frost provides the scientific lead for CoDiet as such has an interest across the project. He plays a role in all work packages. He lead work package five which is the randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of the personalised AI models.
Publications
Griffin J, Albaloul A, Kopytek A, Elliott P, Frost G. Effect of ultraprocessed food intake on cardiometabolic risk is mediated by diet quality: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2021 Apr 7;4(1):174-180. doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000225. PMID: 34308125; PMCID: PMC8258022.
Bar N, Korem T, Weissbrod O, Zeevi D etal. A reference map of potential determinants for the human serum metabolome. Nature. 2020 Dec;588(7836):135-140. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2896-2. Epub 2020 Nov 11. PMID: 33177712.
Petropoulou, K., Salt, L.J., Edwards, C.H. et al. A natural mutation in Pisum sativum L. (pea) alters starch assembly and improves glucose homeostasis in humans. Nat Food 1, 693–704 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00159-8
