The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has released a 28-page guide for Health Care providers on implementing low-carbohydrate (LC) and very low-carbohydrate (VLC) eating patterns to improve outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of the Guide is to assist Health Care Providers, including Physicians, Registered Dietitians, certified diabetes care & education specialists (CDCES), and others, to assess whether these interventions would be appropriate for their patients and if so, how to best implement them.
The Guide is authored by Kelly Siverhus MS, RD, CD, and several advisors. These include three American Diabetes Association Dietitians, five expert advisors including 4 Registered Dietitians and an MD, and a Registered Dietitian primary advisor from Diabetes and Nutrition Consultants. One of the four expert Advisors was Dawn Noe, RD, LD, CDCES, who gave a presentation on Person-Centered Implementation of Low Carbohydrate Eating Plans at the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADEs) annual conference in Houston, Texas, in August 2019. She graciously shared her slides with me for this article.
This new Guide is the culmination of several American Diabetes Association position statements, a consensus report, and several Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes (2019, 2020) publications which included the use of both a low carbohydrate and very low carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet.
-
- 2018 titled Low Carbohydrate Eating for People with Diabetes.
- 2018 joint statement with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) where they classified a low carbohydrate diet as Medical Nutrition Therapy in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in adults.
- 2019 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes which included use of a low carbohydrate diet in its Lifestyle Management Standards of Care
- April 2019 Consensus Report on Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes that included both the use of a low carbohydrate eating pattern (26-45% of total daily calories as carbohydrate), as well as the use of a very low carbohydrate (ketogenic) eating pattern (20-50 g carbs per day).
- 2019 and 2020, the ADA included the use of a low carbohydrate and very low carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet in their Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes.
Low Carbohydrate and Very Low Carbohydrate Eating Patterns in Adults with Diabetes: A Guide for Health Care Providers
This 28-page guide includes information on
-
- Potential Benefits
- Indications and Contraindications
- Determining and Reassessing a Carbohydrate Goal
- Tools and Strategies for Eating Pattern Education, including what to emphasize
- A 10-page section (pages 16-26) with Resources for Patient Education, including
- Food Lists for Low Carbohydrate Meal Planning
- Getting Started
- Low Carbohydrate Starch Alternatives
- Low Carbohydrate Plate Method
- Sample Meal Plans (Structured)
- Sample Meal Plans (Build your Own)
- References
The Guide is an excellent resource for Health Care Providers to help them assess the appropriateness of a low-carbohydrate (LC) or very-low-carbohydrate (VLC) diet for any given patient and provides good explanations of the different approaches that can be taken. In addition, the 10-page Resources for Patient Education provide strategies and sample meal plans for implementing a low carb or very low carb eating pattern, along with the necessary details to assist a wide range of Health Care Providers in supporting their patients in adopting a low carbohydrate or very low carbohydrate diet.
This Guide can be ordered directly from the ADA online shop for $8.95 USD.
Final Thoughts…
While nothing is “new” in this Guide, it is an excellent synthesis of information already contained in the American Diabetes Association’s 2018 Position Statements, 2019 Consensus Report, and Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes (2019, 2020). The Guide provides a convenient, evidence-based tool for US-based Health Care providers to use with their patients.
It is my sincere hope that Diabetes Canada might make something like this available for use by Canadian-based Health Care providers, including Physicians, Registered Dietitians, and certified diabetes care & education specialists.
More Info?
If you would like more information about how I can support you following a low carbohydrate of very low carbohydrate diet, please have a look under the Services tab, or send me a note through the Contact Me form.
To your good health!
Joy
You can follow me on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd
Copyright ©2022 The LCHF Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)
LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything you have read or heard in our content.
