Is diet in diabetes important?

Theoretical recommendations for dietary prescriptions with the aim of providing optimum nutrition for diabetic control have been made. What are the practical implications of some of these recommendations for diabetic children? Children should be encouraged to select most of their carbohydrate allowance from unrefined carbohydrate, this will increase their fibre intake. The policy to discourage the use of refined carbohydrate on a regular basis is generally accepted although practically this is not always possible. Excessive amounts of dietary fat are to be discouraged and this happens naturally if sufficient carbohydrate is prescribed since it limits the intake of "fillers" such as meat, eggs and cheese. Whilst these principles are generally accepted analysis of sample low fat, high fibre menus for children show these to be low in calories which could be detrimental since normal growth and development is the cornerstone of paediatric dietetics. In addition it should be remembered that diabetes places much stress on a child and too rigid management increases this. Whilst recognising the need for improved nutrition theoretical principles should not be overemphasized. A dietary regimen must be practical and acceptable as well as theoretically sound.