Dietitians available to assist with diets for those with prediabetes, diabetes

UNITED STATES

03.02.2022

Courtesy Story

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

By Bob Goldberg, Registered Dietitian/Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Prediabetes and diabetes are diagnoses used to describe when an individual has high blood sugar. Common symptoms can include increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, fatigue, blurred vision, numbness or tingling in feet or hands, sores that don’t heal and unexplained weight loss.
Individuals diagnosed with diabetes are at greater risk for heart disease, stroke, neuropathy, kidney disease, eye disease, foot problems, gum and dental problems and sexual and bladder issues. There are three laboratory tests used to determine if an individual has prediabetes and four tests used for diabetes: Hemoglobin A1C (percent); Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG); Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT); and Random Plasma Glucose Test.
Hemoglobin A1C is a test that determines an individual’s weighted three month blood sugar average (does not need to be a fasting test).
The Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) should be done after fasting for nine to 12 hours.
For the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), patients are asked to drink a sugary beverage and blood sugar is then checked after two hours.
The Random/Casual Plasma Glucose Test is a blood test administered at any time of day.
The readings to determine if a person blood sugar level is normal, has prediabetes or is diabetic are:
Normal: Hemoglobin A1C – 5.7; FPG – 99 or below; and OGTT – 130 or below.
Prediabetes: Hemoglobin A1C – 5.7 to 6.4; FPG – 100 to 125 and OGTT -- 140 to 199
Diabetes: Hemoglobin A1C – 6.5 or above; FPG – 126 or above; OGTT – 200 or above; and Random plasma glucose test – 200 or above.
If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, you might be concerned about how it relates to diabetes. When an individual is diagnosed with prediabetes, it increases their risk factor for developing diabetes in the future. Nutrition therapy for either prediabetes or diabetes will center on limiting the overconsumption of foods high in carbohydrate. This is commonly referred to as a carbohydrate controlled diet and it can help to control blood sugar. Individuals diagnosed can also make other lifestyle changes to help lower blood sugar, such as increasing physical activity and managing body weight.
If you need dietary assistance with prediabetes or diabetes, please call The Outpatient Nutrition Clinic at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at 301-295-4065 to make a one on one appointment with a registered dietitian.

• Date Taken: 03.02.2022
• Date Posted: 03.02.2022 10:47
• Story ID: 415595
• Location: US