Final answer:
The pancreas is the endocrine gland affected after a meal high in sugar due to its role in secreting insulin and regulating blood glucose levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
After consuming a meal with a large amount of sugar, the endocrine gland most likely to be affected is the pancreas. This is because the pancreas plays a critical role in regulating blood glucose levels. It does this by secreting the hormone insulin, which helps cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream, thereby lowering blood sugar levels. Additionally, if blood glucose levels fall too low, the pancreas can secrete glucagon to raise blood sugar levels by promoting the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver.
Since the pancreas is responsible for the fine-tuning of our metabolism and blood sugar levels, especially after the influx of sugars from a meal, it is the gland that becomes most active in response to eating foods high in sugar. So, for a question asking which gland is affected after a sugary meal, the pancreas is the correct choice.