ADA Releases a Low and Very Low Carb Guide for Health Care Providers

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.

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

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