[parrotletzoo]

Is it just me or does this article make you think... "well, Duh!!!"???

Carb and calorie intake low in young diabetics

Fri Jan 12, 5:54 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young children with type 1 diabetes tend to have adequate dietary intake of most micronutrients, according to results of a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. However, carbohydrate and caloric intake may be too low, possibly because their diet plans are out of step with their age.
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"Diet is an important component of the management of type 1 diabetes and may be central to achieving optimal health outcomes," Dr. Susana R. Patton, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues write. "The goal of conventional dietary management in type 1 diabetes is to consume a well-balanced, nutritionally adequate diet with insulin dose matched to carbohydrate intake to achieve blood (sugar levels) as close to normal as possible."

In the current study, the researchers examined the diet and diet adherence of 33 young children with type 1 diabetes. Three-day diet diaries were used to measure the children's nutrient and caloric intake, and the team evaluated associations between dietary adherence and sugar control.

The children's daily intake of vitamin B-12 and calcium were below minimum Dietary Reference Intake levels, but other micronutrients were at or above minimum levels.

The children had better-than-predicted adherence to the number and timing of meals per day and the number of carbohydrate units consumed per meal. However, total daily carbohydrate intake was only 80 percent of recommended levels based on age and weight, and total daily caloric intake was only 78 percent of the recommended levels based on age.

"Because of rapid growth during the pre-school years, this finding suggests that young children with type 1 diabetes may need closer follow-up by registered dietitians to ensure that children's individualized diet plans are modified appropriately as they grow," Patton's team advises.

They add that further research is needed to evaluate these children's sugar control using several factors, including diet adherence, insulin treatment, activity levels, and their families' psychosocial functioning.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, January 2007.


....cause duh, yeah kids with diabetes are going to have lower carb intake and since they're eating less **** like twinkies, they're going to have lower caloric intake too, but do we compromise blood sugar control for increased carb/caloric intake?? I'm not a parent, but I wouldn't. What do you all think??

[ladytaz]

Originally Posted by parrotletzoo

Is it just me or does this article make you think... "well, Duh!!!"???

Carb and calorie intake low in young diabetics

Fri Jan 12, 5:54 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young children with type 1 diabetes tend to have adequate dietary intake of most micronutrients, according to results of a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. However, carbohydrate and caloric intake may be too low, possibly because their diet plans are out of step with their age.
ADVERTISEMENT


"Diet is an important component of the management of type 1 diabetes and may be central to achieving optimal health outcomes," Dr. Susana R. Patton, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues write. "The goal of conventional dietary management in type 1 diabetes is to consume a well-balanced, nutritionally adequate diet with insulin dose matched to carbohydrate intake to achieve blood (sugar levels) as close to normal as possible."

In the current study, the researchers examined the diet and diet adherence of 33 young children with type 1 diabetes. Three-day diet diaries were used to measure the children's nutrient and caloric intake, and the team evaluated associations between dietary adherence and sugar control.

The children's daily intake of vitamin B-12 and calcium were below minimum Dietary Reference Intake levels, but other micronutrients were at or above minimum levels.

The children had better-than-predicted adherence to the number and timing of meals per day and the number of carbohydrate units consumed per meal. However, total daily carbohydrate intake was only 80 percent of recommended levels based on age and weight, and total daily caloric intake was only 78 percent of the recommended levels based on age.

"Because of rapid growth during the pre-school years, this finding suggests that young children with type 1 diabetes may need closer follow-up by registered dietitians to ensure that children's individualized diet plans are modified appropriately as they grow," Patton's team advises.

They add that further research is needed to evaluate these children's sugar control using several factors, including diet adherence, insulin treatment, activity levels, and their families' psychosocial functioning.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, January 2007.


....cause duh, yeah kids with diabetes are going to have lower carb intake and since they're eating less **** like twinkies, they're going to have lower caloric intake too, but do we compromise blood sugar control for increased carb/caloric intake?? I'm not a parent, but I wouldn't. What do you all think??

Well I'm a parent of three, altho mine are all grown now, and none, thankfully, are diabetic, but from this one paragraph here gets me:

"Because of rapid growth during the pre-school years, this finding suggests that young children with type 1 diabetes may need closer follow-up by registered dietitians to ensure that children's individualized diet plans are modified appropriately as they grow," Patton's team advises.

Sounds to me like they are using scare tactics to get parents of diabetic kids to take them to the dietitian more often to make more .... MONEY!!

It's like a contradiciton there, in one breath we're being told our kids eat TOO much **** (high calorie, high carb content), then the next, they're saying diabetic kids don't eat enough ****?? Seriously now!! UGH!

They are also comparing diabetic kids to non diabetic kids. You just can't do that! Diabetics in general cannot eat the same amount of anything that non diabetics do with the same results, at least withou taking meds or insulin or both! And STILL even then, lots of us have trouble!! It's really like comparing apples with oranges here! Ones body works correctly, the other's doesn't!

As we all here know, diabetics pancreas' don't work at all, or not correctly, so we have to "artifically" mimic the "natural" process. Artificial will NEVER equal natural!

I feel the same way about taking vitamin and mineral suppliments ... they just can't quite properly replace the "natural" version! They may help, but I don't feel they do quite as well.

Anyway .... I feel as you do tho ... DUH!

[HollyB]

I do have a diabetic child and current thinking is you should not restrict their carbs (if they are at a normal weight) -- or force them for that matter! -- you should count them and give insulin appropriately. Carbs are essential for proper growth and if kids are given mostly healthy food with a good balance of nutrients their appetite will naturally fluctuate to meet their changing growth needs (ie they will eat more in a growth spurt and then less as growth slows).

A further implication of the old method of prescribing a certain, restricted amount of carbs and severely restricting sugar in diabetic kids is they end up eating way more fat ("free" foods) because they are HUNGRY. It's not necessarily a healthy trade-off.

[Funnygrl]

I think diabetic preschoolers should definitely be seeing a nutritionist. I mean, you have a lot of nutrition needs then, and add in diabetes and picky eating, so yeah, they should be.

[MJM]

I am of the opinion that if the kids eat in a healthy way and get enough exercise then they will be as healthy as they possibly could be in the circumstance. Our problem these days is that there is such tripe out there for kids to eat, whether diabetic or not, that it is difficult. However young children when confronted with the pitfalls of unhealthy food would, I think, try to avoid the bad stuff. I wouldn't have any difficulty with a dietician being involved, in fact it could be very beneficial for both the parent and the child. However if the parents are very knowledgable on carbs and nutritian I would be of the same opinion as HollyB in regards food and would also stress that the child exercise more than seems to prevail these days. The more exercise they take, the more carbs will be burned and consequently less danger of the child becoming obese.

[right2fight]

As the Mom of one child with diabetes, I believe you MJM are one very wise "Irish Man."

[HollyB]

Oh, I didn't notice MJM was Irish! Time to hijack the thread. We've just booked our tickets for our 2nd trip to Ireland -- we're taking Aaron with us this time (no doubt I'll be posting about travel tips). Can't wait, can't wait!

mmmmm, Kilkenny. The best beer in the world.

BTW, here in Canada a dietitian is a big part of our diabetes team. So yeah, I agree guidance on diet is important, as well as healthy exercise.