Medical Nutrition Therapy for Diabetes

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is a key component of diabetes education and management. MNT is defined as a “nutrition-based treatment provided by a registered dietitian nutritionist.” It includes “a nutrition diagnosis as well as therapeutic and counseling services to help manage diabetes.”

Now one thing I preach is building a Multidisciplinary team for the patient & one of those disciplines is a Registered Dietitcian. This should be one of your FIRST referrals you make in primary care regarding a diabetic. In addition to this, there are interventions we as nurse practitioners can start at diagnosis & maintain throughout our care plan. It’s important for us to know the fundamentals of MNT in order to start the process for our patients. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists published great guidelines on there site but here is a basic summary of that:

-All diabetics should receive MNT by a medical professional (MD, DO, NP, PA, RD, or Diabetes Education Specialist)

-Total Daily Calories: 15-30 kcal/kg/day in order to attain & maintain a normal BMI

-Protein: 15-35% of diet; 0.8-1.0 g/kg/day

-Carbs: 45-65% of diet

-Fats: 30% of diet

Now this is a great starting point but remember that no one diabetic is alike & has different needs. Each diabetic should be dealt with on a case by case basis. Below I linked two great videos that touch more on MNT & it’s variability. Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE & follow me on Instagram, @thediabetesnp!