Diet and pump-treated diabetes: a long-term follow-up

Long-term effects of a liberalized diabetes diet without meal-planning and food-exchange were investigated in lean type-I diabetic patients treated by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Food intake, body weight, HbA1c levels and serum lipids were recorded during conventional s.c. insulin injection treatment (CIT) and after 1 month or 14 months of CSII, respectively. During CSII plus liberalized diet, metabolic control improved significantly (compared to previous CIT plus conventional diet) as indicated by a decrease of HbA1c from 9.5% to 7.9% (p less than 0.005). Serum lipids remained unchanged. Body weight did not change significantly during CSII plus liberalized diet; mean body mass index increased from 21.5 to 22.4 kg/m2 (CIT vs. CSII, n.s.). During CSII, eating habits were similar to those of the general West Germany population regarding the number of meals and the nutrients composition. We conclude that during CSII, meal-planning and food-exchange that during CSII, meal-planning and food-exchange can be omitted provided the patients maintain (near-) normoglycaemia by appropriately adjusting the s.c. insulin delivery. Lean type-I diabetics on CSII do not require specific restrictions as to their caloric intake in order to prevent weight gain.