
July 2, 2008
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Ithaca, New York, USA:
My daughter was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She is hungry ALL the time now. What is the best food that I can feed her that will fill her up?
Answer:
It’s very normal for a child with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes to be hungry all of the time. Their body has been in starvation mode (without the benefit of insulin production and suboptimal blood glucose control) and it will take some time for that hunger to subside. In the meantime, continue with the diabetes meal plan that your registered dietitian has provided and supplement with small amounts of protein (low fat cheese, lean meats), fats (peanuts) and free foods (sugar free gelatin, celery sticks) to help with appetite issues. These foods should help fill her up without compromising blood glucose control. Once blood sugars have stabilized, hunger tends to subside. If not, speak to your registered dietitian about readjusting the meal plan.
JMS