Word count: abstract 243, main text 3929 3 Abstract Aims/hypothesis: High vs low glycaemic-index (GI) diets unfavourably affect body fat mass and metabolic markers in rodents. Different effects of these diets could be age-dependent, as well as mediated, in part, by carbohydrate-induced stimulation of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypetide (GIP) signalling. Methods: Young-adult (16 weeks) and aged (44 weeks) male wild-type (C57BL/6J) and GIP-receptor knock-out (Gipr-/-) mice were exposed to otherwise identical high-carbohydrate diets only differing in GI (20-26 weeks intervention, n=8-10/group). Diet-induced changes in body fat distribution, liver fat, locomotor activity, markers of insulin sensitivity and substrate oxidation were investigated, as well as changes in the gene expression of anorexigenic and orexigenic hypothalamic factors related to food intake. Results: Body weight significantly increased in young-adult high vs low-GI fed mice (two-way ANOVA, p<0.001), regardless the Gipr genotype. The high-GI diet in young-adult mice also led to significantly increased fat mass and changes in metabolic markers that indicate reduced insulin sensitivity. Even though body fat mass also slightly increased in high vs low-GI fed aged wild-type mice (p<0.05), there were no significant changes in body weight and estimated insulin sensitivity in these animals. However, aged Gipr-/-vs wild-type mice on high-GI diet showed significantly lower cumulative net energy intake, increased locomotor activity, and improved markers of insulin sensitivity. Conclusions: The metabolic benefits of a low-GI diet appear to be more pronounced in younger animals, regardless the Gipr genotype. Inactivation of GIP signalling in aged animals on a high-GI diet, however, could be beneficial.4