February 2, 2009
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA:
My nine-year-old has type 1 diabetes. We are vegetarians so we eat more carbohydrates than others. I want to know if it is okay for my child to have 80 grams of carbohydrates per meal three times a day. I wasn’t sure after going through a chat session at tudiabetes.com where most adults seem to be limiting their carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams per meal.
Answer:
I would recommend that you and your child meet with a registered dietitian who specializes in pediatric diabetes meal planning to develop an individualized meal plan with target carbohydrate amounts for meals and snacks. This person can suggest beneficial sources of protein to enable your vegetarian lifestyle. Carbohydrate amounts that children with diabetes require to grow and thrive can be different than adults who have completed the growing process.
If you need a referral to a dietitian, please ask your health care team.
JMS
