Nutrition strategies for adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Optimal metabolic control is a primary management objective for adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Nutrition therapy plays an important role in meeting this challenging treatment goal. This article presents broad nutrition goals, makes macronutrient recommendations, and describes their effect on blood glucose levels. Various meal-planning techniques and other developmentally appropriate approaches to assist adolescents in meeting these nutrition objectives are described. Finally, challenges in implementing nutrition therapy in an adolescent population are discussed.