Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition characterized by abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood. Type 2 diabetes, which is becoming increasingly common in children, is often related to obesity. The proper diet for type 2 diabetes can help control blood glucose levels as well as lead to weight loss, which may reverse the condition.
Physiology
When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into the simple sugar glucose, which can be absorbed by your intestines. When your intestines absorb glucose, it enters your bloodstream, where it signals the pancreas to release a hormone called insulin. Insulin attaches to glucose molecules and carries them to your cells, where they are used as energy. Blood glucose levels then return to normal.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which a child's cells have become resistant to the hormone insulin. When blood glucose levels rise, the pancreas releases insulin, but the cells are still not able to utilize glucose. As a result, glucose and insulin levels in the blood remain high.
Diet Basics
A diabetes diet does not restrict any specific types of foods. The focus of a diet for diabetes is to help control blood sugar levels while still providing adequate nutrition. Like any other children, a child with type 2 diabetes needs the proper balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Since carbohydrates have the most dramatic effect on blood sugar levels, it is important to monitor carbohydrate intake. A diet plan for a child with type 2 diabetes generally consists of breakfast, lunch and dinner, with regular snacks. Carbohydrate intake should be spread evenly throughout these meals and snacks. Controlling the amount of carbohydrates a child eats as well as the time a child eats them can help keep blood sugar levels within normal ranges. Specific carbohydrate recommendations vary based on age, sex, activity level, weight and any underlying health conditions.
Types of Carbohydrates
Different types of carbohydrates move through your digestive system at different rates. Simple carbohydrates move through your intestines quickly, causing rapid increases in blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates move through your intestines slowly and, as a result, do not have such a dramatic effect on blood sugar levels. Most of the carbohydrates that a child with type 2 diabetes eats should be complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, starchy vegetables and beans.
Considerations
The development of type 2 diabetes in a child is often related to excess weight and obesity. Because of this, type 2 diabetes can often be reversed by following the right eating plan and losing weight. If you discover your child has type 2 diabetes, a dietitian can help develop a meal plan that will provide your child with all of the nutrients he needs, while promoting weight loss.
