Q. Basic principles of planning diets for diabetes?

The above objectives can be met by adhering to some of the basic principles of planning diets which include the consideration of factors like:

1. Body weight, age, sex, activity,

2. Economic, social and cultural factors,

3. Type of diabetes, mode of treatment and control of diabetes, and

4. Other factors like pregnancy, obesity, cardiovascular and renal disorders or even gastrointestinal problems and other infections.

Keeping the above principles in mind, the diet planned should be such as to help in maintaining an optimum nutritional status and achieving desirable body weight. As a thumb rule if the patient is undernourished, feed more calories and if over - nourished reduce the calories. Calories are mainly obtained from carbohydrates, protein and fat. You already know that one gram of carbohydrate and proteins provide 4 Kcal and one gram of fat supplies 9 kilocalorics. Let us now understand the contribution of these macronutrients in a diabetic diet.