Normally the amount of glucose in our blood is carefully controlled by the hormone insulin, which helps the glucose to enter the cells where it is used as fuel by the body.

Diabetes is a common condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body is unable to use to use it properly. This is because the body’s method of converting glucose into energy is not working, as it should.

Children with diabetes
Most of the children will have type I diabetes meaning they can no longer produce insulin because the cells in the pancreas that produce it have been destroyed. Without insulin, the child’s body cannot use glucose.
The onset of children’s diabetes usually occurs in late childhood but can present itself from early infancy through to late adulthood.

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms develop in matter of days or weeks. They are as follows:

• Tiredness
• Thirst and frequent drinking (called polydipsia)
• Frequent urinating (called polyuria)
• Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis)
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Infection on skin or around the mouth- particularly due to yeast (candida) or boils.

Diabetes cannot be cured but it can be treated effectively. The aim of the treatment is to keep the blood glucose level close to the normal range (4-7mmol,rising to no longer than 10mmol two hours after meal) so it is neither too high (hyperglycaemia) nor too low (hypoglycaemia)

Treating diabetes:
Most children with diabetes will be treated by combination of insulin and a balanced diet, with the recommendation of regular physical activity.
The diet for children with diabetes is based on balanced diet and variety in the diet.


Foods can be divided into five main food groups.

To eat the balanced diet the child should be aiming to eat food from all these groups in right proportion (as shown in the chart below)

	Cereal Group	Vegetable and fruit Group	Milk and dairy Group	Meat, fish and alternatives	Foods containing Fat and Sugar
What is included	- Bread - Potato, sweet potato, yam (suran) - Bhakri or rotla (Bajra, Jowar or rice flour) - Rice - Dhalia (broken wheat) - Rava (suji) - Riceflakes (poha) - Chapatti or paratha - Noodles	All fresh fruit and vegetables including leafy vegetables and dried fruits	Milk, cheese and yoghurts (Dahi)	- Chicken - Fish - Mutton - Nuts - Beans, pulses/dal Soya beans or nutrella granules.	- Butter - Oil - Ghee - Cream - Chocolates - Cakes - Wafers/crisps - Ice cream - Pastries
Main nutrients	- Carbohydrates (starch) - Fibre - Some calcium and iron - B vitamins	- Vitamin C - Vitamin A - Folates - Fibre	- Calcium - Protein - Vitamin B12 - Vitamin A & D	- Iron- Proteins - B Vitamins especially B12 - Zinc - Magnesium (moderate amounts)	Fat provide some essential fatty acids.
Recommendations	- Eat a lot of them - Helps to maintain blood glucose levels - Try to avoid: frying them too often e.g.: potato chips, puri. Or applying too much ghee or oil or butter on bread, chapatti, rice or paratha.	- Eat a lot of them - To Avoid: adding too much oil or ghee while making vegetables and to avoid adding sugar to fruits.	Children should have at least 500ml milk in whole day. Milk could be in form of yoghurts, milkshakes.	To be included in each meal. At least have 2 servings in whole day.  1 serving=1 katori of curry with chicken or dal or 1 katori of pulses or 1 egg or handful of nuts.	Should be included everyday but in small amounts.  All sugary foods should incorporated along with meals or before physical activities when extra energy is required.

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Last updated on 1-07-2003