My father was a juvenile diabetic and as an adult became a very brittle diabetic. He died about 25 years ago at the age of 52. At the time I was 11 and shortly thereafter was diagnosed as a borderline diabetic. I was immediately put on an ADA diet and over 1 summer lost weight and my blood sugar returned to normal.

Although my daughter has not had blood sugar problems at her current age of 6, she is overweight and I would like suggestions on an ADA meal plan to control her weight and hopefully save her some health grief. I am interested in the breakdown of total calories/day for a 6�year old who is approximately 65 pounds and 47-48�inches tall.

I can understand your concern and I think wanting your daughter to be free of developing diabetes is a good cause. I cannot recommend a calorie level for your daughter as a lot of information about her body build, her activity, etc., is missing. I would encourage you to cut back on high sugar desserts, pop with caffeine and diet pop, juice and high fat proteins. You do not mention what her activity is like — if she is not active now, you might start helping her become more active. If you believe she is overeating, seek the advice of a dietitian who works with children for suggestions. Weight loss in this age child can inhibit normal growth and development.

JM
Additional comments from Lois Schmidt Finney, diabetes dietitian:

Excellent question. However, I do not know how active your child is or her growth pattern, so it would be best if you consulted with a dietitian about an appropriate meal plan. I am glad you are trying to prevent future problems. It might be that all that is needed is some small changes in her diet and an increase in activity.

LSF