("Learning About Diabetes / Handouts," n.d.

)
Diabetic Diet
West Coast University
Lai Kit Li


Type 1 Diabetes: Diabetes characterized
by the absence of insulin secretion.
Type 2 diabetes: a combination of insulin
resistance and relative insulin deficiency
Gestational diabetes: hyperglycemia that
develops during pregnancy, usually
around the 24th week of gestation (Dudek,
2014).

The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is confirm
through one of the following four methods:
1. A1C of 6.5% or higher.
2. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level greater
than or equal to 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L).
3. Two-hour plasma glucose level greater
than or equal to 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L)
during an OGTT, using a glucose load of 75
g.
4. In a patient with classic symptoms of
hyperglycemia (polyuria, polydipsia,
unexplained weight loss)
(Lewis, Heikemper & Dirksen, 2013).


Learning About Diabetes / Handouts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://learningaboutdiabetes.org/handouts.html




Rationale of Diabetic Diet
If you have diabetes, your body cannot produce or properly use insulin. This leads to high blood
glucose, or blood sugar, levels. Healthy eating helps keep your blood sugar in your target range. It is
a critical part of managing your diabetes, because controlling your blood sugar can prevent
the complications of diabetes. Modest weight loss has been associated with improved insulin
resistance. People with diabetes should obtain 45-60 gram carbohydrate each meal. Carbohydrate
counting is a meal planning technique used to keep track of the amount of carbohydrates eaten with
each meal and per day. One carbohydrate choice equals (15 g carbohydrate, please see below fore
more description) (Lewis, Heikemper & Dirksen, 2013).

1 serving of starch
One carbohydrate choice equals (15 g
carbohydrate)
1 serving of starch
1 serving of fruit
1 serving from the Milk group
1 serving from the sweets and
desserts group
3 servings of non starchy vegetables
(because they are so low in
carbohydrates andare healthy, often
people are encouraged to eat these as
desired) Also, limited fat to less than
30% of the total diet (Dudek, 2014) .
For a person with diabetes, each
meal needs to have one half of the
plate filled with non- starchy
vegetables , one fourth filled with a
starch, and one fourth filled with a
protein (Lewis, Heikemper &
Dirksen, 2013).

Whenever possible, include family
members and caregivers in nutrition
education and counseling,
particularly the person who cooks
for the household. However, the
responsibility for maintaining a
diabetic diet should not fall to
someone other than the person with
diabetes (Lewis, Heikemper &
Dirksen, 2013).


Dudek, S. G. (2014). Nutrition essentials for nursing practice (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lewis, S. M., Heitkemper, M. M., & Dirksen, S. R. (2013). Medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical problems. St. Louis: Mosby

(Lewis, Heikemper & Dirksen, 2013)