DIETARY MANAGEMENT & BEHAVIOUR

All people with diabetes should be provided with quality professional education on medical nutrition therapy upon diagnosis, and at regular intervals thereafter. For children and adolescent patients with type 1 diabetes, the challenge is to maintain good glycemic control while providing adequate energy for growth and development. Modification in dietary advice is required, depending on the developmental stage. In type 2 diabetes, the initial challenge is to achieve a weight loss of 5-10% body weight, normalize blood glucose and reduce cardiovascular risk factors.

To manage your blood glucose, you need to balance what you eat and drink with physical activity and diabetes medicine if you take any. What you choose to eat, how much you eat, and when you eat are all important in keeping your blood glucose level in the range that your healthcare team recommends.

The plate method helps you control your portion sizes. You don’t need to count calories. The plate method shows the amount of each food group you should eat. This method works best for lunch and dinner. Use a 9-inch plate. Put non-starchy vegetables on half of the plate; a meat or other protein on one-fourth of the plate; and a grain or other starch on the last one-fourth. Starches include starchy vegetables such as corn and peas. You also may eat a small bowl of fruit or a piece of fruit, and drink a small glass of milk as included in your meal plan.

Becoming more active and making changes in what you eat and drink can seem challenging at first. You may find it easier to start with small changes and get help from your family, friends, and health care team.

Eating well and being physically active most days of the week can help you.

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