1, the supply of caloric energy to meet the needs of growth and development Diabetic children are in a critical period of growth and development, the control of energy can not be overly strict. In the estimation of caloric energy can be calculated according to the following formula: caloric energy (kcal) = 1000 + (age – 1) × 100
In order to prevent insufficient caloric energy supply, parents should regularly measure the height and weight of their children and compare them with normal children of the same age of the same sex. Once it is found that the child’s weight is significantly lower than that of children of the same age, or does not grow over a period of time, the child should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible, and a nutritionist should be asked to develop a quantitative recipe for the child’s three meals a day. In principle, a diabetic diet is also a balanced diet. Different foods contain different nutrients, so parents should pay attention to ensure that their children’s diet is diverse. Each meal should include staple foods, meat and vegetables. In order to better stabilize blood sugar after meals, yams such as steamed corn, boiled taro and baked potatoes can be used to replace some of the staple foods. In addition to rich starch content, dioscorea also contains more dietary fiber, which helps delay the rise of blood sugar after meals. For every 100-120 grams of dioscorea, 25 grams of staple foods such as rice and flour should be subtracted accordingly. The choice of meat and vegetables should also be diversified, and the daily diet should include milk, eggs, fish and shrimp, lean meat and soy products. Protein-based foods help patients’ growth and development, and at the same time, compared with carbohydrate-rich staple foods, protein-based foods have less impact on postprandial blood sugar and have a better sense of satiety and satisfaction. 3, fully ensure the intake of vegetables and fruits Vegetables and fruits are the main source of vitamins and minerals, while fruits and vegetables are also rich in phytochemicals with health effects, such as polyphenolic compounds, organosulfur compounds, plant sterols, saponins and so on. According to the recommendation of the Chinese Nutrition Society, children’s vegetable and fruit intake should reach 200-250 grams of vegetables and 100-150 grams of fruits per day. In the selection of types, attention should be paid to the selection of vegetables and fruits of different colors and categories as much as possible every day. The principle of “five fruits and vegetables per day” proposed by the World Health Organization can be followed. If there is no difficulty in chewing, the child should be encouraged to eat fruits directly and avoid drinking some sugary juice drinks. 4, chew slowly, develop good dining habits cut meat and vegetables into small pieces, chew slowly, chew each bite of food 20-25 times before swallowing. Let a meal intake of a variety of food fully mixed, which can reduce the glycemic index of mixed meals. At the same time, chewing slowly also helps to reduce the burden on children’s digestive system, so that the body can more fully digest and absorb the nutrients from the food.
Parents also need to pay special attention to regular and quantitative meals. Most children with diabetes are type 1 diabetic and need insulin to control their blood sugar. Timely and quantitative meals can prevent the occurrence of hypoglycemia. It also helps the doctor to figure out the right dose of insulin injection. 5. Choose healthy snacks and add meals appropriately Children with diabetes have the same right to snack as healthy children, but the key lies in how to choose healthy snacks and what time is more appropriate to eat snacks. It is not advisable to choose potato chips rich in carbohydrates and fat and a variety of puffed food as a snack. It is recommended to use fruit, small packages of nuts, plain yogurt, small packages of mixed cookies and so on. Snacking time should be located between meals, pay attention not to eat a lot of snacks before the three meals, so as not to affect the amount of food eaten at the main meal.