The overall guidelines are to reduce the amount of fat, simple sugar, and salt, and increase the amount of complex carbohydrates and foods high in fiber.

Functions

There are two types of diabetes, and the nutritional goals for each are different.

With type I diabetes, the main focus of diet planning is balance and consistency. Meals should be planned to be eaten at approximately the same time every day. Meals and snacks should be planned in conjunction with the insulin dose and the person's physical activity. The amount and type of food, and the carbohydrate, protein, and fat content of the meals and snacks, should be consistent from day to day. This helps with the delicate balance of carbohydrate intake, insulin, and physical activity that is necessary for optimal blood sugar (glucose) control. If these components are not in balance, there can be wide variations, from too high to too low, in blood sugar levels.

With type II diabetes, the main focus is on weight management and weight control, since 80% to 90% of these of people with this disease are overweight. A calorie-controlled meal plan is recommended, along with appropriate physical activity. In many cases, weight control and a planned diet alone control diabetes; other diabetics must also take oral medications.

Children with type II diabetes present special challenges. Meal plans should be recalculated often to account for the child's change in caloric requirements. Physical activity may be more difficult to plan for and may be much more erratic than in an adult. Children may be more likely to require several snacks in their meal plan because they may not be able to meet their caloric needs in three meals. Concentrated sweets may be difficult to restrict in a child and parents may require additional help in planning for special occasions, such as birthdays and Halloween when sweet foods abound.

Ency. home > Nutrition > D > Diabetes - diet

[an error occurred while processing this directive]