How can clinicians approach nutrition?

A clinician reflects on how nutrition and exercise assessments are integral to the care of patients with diabetes and, more broadly, how these assessments can increase understanding of the patient. Nutrition, metabolic control, self-esteem, and self-care are often intertwined. Using a team approach and acknowledging patient effort and attitude change can help patients modify lifestyle patterns, although the road to change may be slow. Exercise counseling should be part of nutrition recommendations. Poor nutritional habits represent a major challenge to improving health status and will require the coordinated efforts of health care providers and other stakeholders in society.