Medical Nutrition Therapy in the Treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

KEY POINTSMedical nutrition therapy (MNT), i.e., a goal-oriented approach indeveloping and in implementing a nutritional plan for the treatment ofindividuals with diabetes plays a central role in the care of theirpatients.More specifically, a well-designed nutritional plan is an essentialcomponent of the therapeutic regimen for all diabetics and should bedesigned in such a way that it should achieve the best long-term controlof diabetes and its complications.There is growing evidence that MNT benefits patients with all forms ofdiabetes and, according to many, it is the single most importantintervention for the prevention and probably treatment for type 2diabetics, making it an essential part of diabetes self-managementeducation.All members of the team involved in a diabetic patient's care should beinvolved in setting nutrition-related goals, but it is highlyrecommended that a registered dietitian who is trained in MNT fordiabetics assumes the coordinating role in MNT education and management(1).Achieving nutrition-related goals requires the efforts of amultidisciplinary team. Ultimately, the most important member of thatteam is the patient as she/he should be the primary decision makerduring the process of implementing a lifestyle change.MNT plays an important role in three major areas of diabetes preventionand treatment: primary prevention, i.e., intervention(s) to preventobesity and ensuing diabetes; secondary prevention, after diagnosis, toimprove glycemic control and prevent diabetes related complications; andtertiary prevention to help prevent morbidity and mortality related tomanaging complications of diabetes.