Background: Gastric emptying is a determinant of the postprandial glycemic and cardiovascular responses to oral carbohydrate. Aims: To evaluate the effects of a solid meal on gastric emptying and the glycemic and cardiovascular responses to oral glucose in healthy older subjects. Subjects: Ten subjects aged 72.1 ± 1.9 yr were studied. Methods: Each subject had measurements of gastric emptying, blood glucose, serum insulin, blood pressure and heart rate on two days after ingestion of a 50g glucose drink (300 ml) with ("mixed meal") or without ("liquid only") a solid meal (300g ground beef). Results: Gastric emptying of liquid was initially slightly more rapid (P<0.05) after the "mixed meal" compared to "liquid only" at 5 min 92.0 ± 1.5% vs 96.0 ± 1.3%, and much slower (P<0.05) after 120 min. The time to the peak blood glucose was less (39.0 ± 4.0 vs 67.5 ± 10.3 min P<0.01) and blood glucose subsequently lower (P<0.01), after the "mixed meal". The increase in serum insulin was greater (P<0.001) after the "mixed meal". Blood pressure fell (P<0.05) in the first 30 min with no difference between the two meals. The increase in heart rate after both meals (P<0.005), was greater (P<0.05) after the "mixed meal". Conclusions: The presence of a non-carbohydrate solid meal has discrepant effects on "early" and subsequent emptying of a nutrient liquid, which affects postprandial glycemia and increased heart rate.