September 15, 2000
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Pawnee City, Nebraska, USA:
My nine year old niece has had type 1 for nine months. It seems to us she has to eat an incredible amount of food. The snacks don’t seem to be the problem, it’s the amount at meal time. She even complains when she has to eat this much food. She has to eat more food than the normal adult would be able to eat. She has gained at least 20 pounds since she was diagnosed. Is it normal for all children with diabetes to have to eat a lot?
Answer:
It is time to visit with the diabetes dietitian to get her meal plan adjusted to a more fitting amount of food. It is common, right after diagnosis, for children to need more food than is customary because the body is trying to regain weight it lost before diagnosis, but it is important to adjust the meal plan to avoid unwanted weight gain and to make sure she is comfortable with it.
JM
