Question
How to control food intake for children with diabetes…?
Answer
Patients with diabetes should not only eat at regular intervals and in appropriate amounts each day but should also choose foods that raise blood sugar levels slowly and minimally. Both coarse and fine grains should be consumed. Chicken, beef, eggs, fish, milk, and it is best to use oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as olive oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil. Leafy vegetables like cabbage, spinach, and bok choy, as well as chives, cucumbers, and bell peppers can be eaten in larger quantities. Vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, and eggplants have low sugar content and can be used as substitutes for fruits. However, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers have high sugar content and are not beneficial for blood sugar control. Fruits like watermelons should not be consumed in large quantities and should not be eaten at any time. It is recommended to prepare a food exchange schedule. Children are in a stage of growth and development with high energy consumption and should not be overly restricted in food intake. They need to consume enough calories to meet their growth and development needs and maintain normal daily life. The daily calorie requirement for children varies with age: Total Daily Intake = 1000 + (1000 - 1) multiplied by age. The dietary composition of children with diabetes is slightly different from that of adults with diabetes. Especially for children under 3 years of age with diabetes, more protein-rich foods should be added. There should be two to three snacks between meals to avoid excessive fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The calories from snacks should be included in the total calorie intake and eaten at regular intervals.