Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 6, Issue 1 5-9, Copyright © 1987 by American College of Nutrition
Diet and diabetes, a brief overview: personal perspective
F. Q. Nuttall
Over the past several years there has been renewed interest in the dietary
management of persons with diabetes. Many of the older concepts are being
questioned and dietary recommendations are being revised. A uniform
concensus regarding the best diet for insulin-requiring diabetic persons is
not available. In my opinion, the best diet, considering our state of
knowledge and the limitations imposed by current treatment modalities, is a
diet that is most acceptable to the patient as long as it is nutritionally
adequate. Once a diet is decided upon, constancy of carbohydrate (CHO)
content for each meal is emphasized. A diet low in fat and containing
approximately 50-60% CHO is desirable but is not as important as patient
compliance. A stable reduction in the plasma glucose concentration in these
patients should be the overwhelming objective. Dietary management of
non-insulin requiring diabetic persons remains uncertain and controversial.
Much more scientific data are needed before dietary recommendations can be
made. Nevertheless, one can educate patients regarding CHO containing foods
which have a large effect on the postmeal glucose concentration (cooked
potatoes and cereal products such as bread and breakfast cereals) and those
which produce a smaller effect (milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables,
table sugar, and honey). With the interest in the dietary management of
diabetic patients at the present time, I look forward to rapid progress in
this field and resolution of the current controversies.
