Aging and weight control: dietary management of diabetes

Nutritional treatment priorities for elderly patients with diabetes may vary with age, relative body weight, type of diabetes, other health factors and life-style. The age-adjusted tables for recommended body weight have implications for setting weight goals for diabetes treatment and for individuals at risk for developing diabetes. Dietary management of elderly patients with or at high risk for developing diabetes needs to consider: (1) weight changes associated with age, (2) the relative merits of various weight control methods, (3) composition of the recommended diabetic diet, and (4) factors influencing the selection of a therapeutic approach for an individual.