How to Teach about Diabetic Diet

A teacher has successfully taught the diabetic diet when the learner is able to safely select and enjoy foods and beverages that keep their blood sugar in the desirable range on a consistent basis and prevent or delay complications. In addition to reviewing copies of the client's medical history and physical, there are many psychosocial considerations that the teacher must determine in order for effective learning to occur. Both teacher and student must set realistic, mutually agreed upon goals that are measurable in nature. Progress towards these goals will determine if the diabetic diet education was effective or not.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• The teacher must obtain the following information prior to education:
• History and physical
• Height, weight and recent weight loss or gain
• Physician's diet order
• Diagnosis of type 1 or Type 2 diabetic
• Laboratory data: blood glucose, hgbA1C, lipid profile
• Medications

Meeting with Client

1. Evaluate the client's readiness to learn; level of education; level of motivation; success or failure related to previous diets or weight loss attempts if excess weight is a concern; current eating habits; cultural, ethnic, allergies or food intolerance that impact food preferences; individual responsible for grocery shopping and cooking.

2. Applicable educational components include purchasing, preparation and assembly of the right type of foods, in correct quantities at right times of the day; signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar; how to quickly and safely respond; sick day guidelines so illness is not compounded by out-of-control blood sugar; incorporating special occasion foods such as birthday parties, holidays and restaurants; sports participation rules to support increase energy needs; alcohol guidelines; health risks associated with diabetes such as heart, kidney and eye damage; weight loss or gain.

3. The client should be able to write or verbalize a sample menu including the types, amounts and timing of foods; describe the symptoms and treatment for hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

4. Goals should be mutually agreed upon, realistic, measurable, short term and long term.

Tips & Warnings

• Learning the diabetic diet can be overwhelming to a newly diagnosed diabetic. This is compounded if the individual was very sick and hospitalized. Anxiety and stress related to medical staff performing exams, drawing blood and providing medical treatment can be significant. Health care professionals compete for the patient's time to teach oral medication or insulin injection, blood sugar checks, urine ketone screens, and foot care. It may be optimal for the teacher to focus on basic rules until the patient is able to fully concentrate and learn the specifics of the diabetic diet.

• When an individual is overwhelmed with learning, has limited education or is unmotivated to make changes, basic survival skills should be taught. This includes eating three meals daily and a small evening snack, at set meal times that are moderate in portion. Skipping or delaying meals should not occur and the individual should be taught to avoid concentrated sweets such as cakes, cookies, pies, candy, regular soda and sugar.