Cystic fibrosis patients with diabetes; the origin of the contemporary diabetes diet?




As patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are living longer, incidence of glucose intolerance (insulin resistance) and type 2 diabetes have increased. Previously, glucose monitoring with CF patients was not addressed due to the fact that patients weren't expected to live long enough to develop the added complications of chronic diabetes. The typical diabetic diet style and insulin regimen can not be applied to the energy requirements needed with the CF patient.

With diabetics, diets will have restricted energy, simple sugars and fats following a consistent meal schedule. The CF related diabetic has increased energy needs, and the diet will be higher in fat energy and higher in carbohydrates. This diet also requires a more flexible pattern to accommodate the ever changing needs of the CF patient. More frequent glucose monitoring and different insulin requirements are part of the CF diabetic daily routine. Carbohydrate counting is the key to creating a more flexible diet for the CF pt. Monitoring grams of CHO instead of energy simplifies the meal planning and insulin dose.

Note the date of this article (1994). This type of diabetic diet was a new approach to the MNT of diabetes at the time. The one element missed in this older version is the importance of protein. This is curious because protein is a crucial part of the CF diet. It begs the question; was this the origin of what we consider common MNT for diabetes today?



 

Journal of the AND, Management dilemmas in the individual with cystic fibrosis and type 2 diabetes, 1994

 

FD

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

Milk Mythbusters