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April 25, 2002

Meal Planning, Food and Diet

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Question from London, England:

Low carbohydrate diets seem to be all the rage for reducing insulin stimulation. How do you feel about a low carb diet for children with diabetes? Is it okay to give a low (or no) carb meal when blood glucose is high instead of an extra Humalog jab?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

It’s perfectly okay to cut back on carbs when sugar levels are high — just as it’s okay to give a bit more rapid-acting insulin.

There are no long term data on low carb meal plans for kids, but there are some on potential problems of very high protein intake and possible kidney filtering problems. So, as with most things related to kids, most recommendations are bit more conservative and prudent until more data becomes available. You should discuss this with your diabetes team, especially a dietitian who knows something about diabetes, growth and food issues.

SB