VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 13, 2024 /CNW/ - An international team of experts has created the world's first evidence-based guide for safe and effective carbohydrate reduction in type 1 diabetes to improve blood glucose control. This innovative free resource, Therapeutic Carbohydrate Reduction in Type 1 Diabetes: A Guide for Dietitians and Nutritionists, addresses a longstanding information gap by providing practical support for both health professionals and people living with type 1 diabetes.
Released on World Diabetes Day, the guide is timely, as both the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes Canada have acknowledged that reducing overall carbohydrate intake is the approach with the strongest evidence for improving blood glucose control. However, until now, people with type 1 diabetes and their healthcare providers have lacked comprehensive resources to help implement this approach safely and effectively.
"Individuals and families living with type 1 diabetes long for blood glucose stability; nutrition therapy is one tool to provide that stability and make diabetes easier to manage," said Dr. Caroline Roberts, a US endocrinologist who was one of the five international authors of the guide. "However, the absence of clinical guidelines on therapeutic carbohydrate reduction presents a unique hurdle to providing this therapy. This guide fills that gap."
The guide provides essential information for dietitians and nutritionists and empowers them to work collaboratively with individuals and families who are interested in reducing carbohydrates as part of a personalized dietary approach. It supports a range of lower carbohydrate eating patterns, meeting diverse dietary needs and preferences, while providing strategies to enhance blood sugar control, minimize blood sugar swings, and reduce insulin requirements—all while maintaining a delicious and nutritious diet.
The guide also includes practical tools, such as draft low-carbohydrate meal plans, and detailed instructions for adjusting insulin dosing in response to carbohydrate reduction. Its development and review involved health professionals from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia with expertise in carbohydrate reduction and type 1 diabetes, many of whom are also individuals living with type 1 diabetes, ensuring a comprehensive and relatable approach.
This pioneering guide was sponsored by the Canadian registered charity, the Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition (IPTN) and is available to download for free here.
SOURCE Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition
For more information please contact: Anne Mullens, IPTN, [email protected]
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