Dietary advice in type 2 diabetes]

The dietary advice is a part of the global care for type 2 diabetes. First, overweight implies a caloric restriction. When poor glucose control is associated with weight gain, important errors are obvious (excess fat and sugar), providing more pills or insulin without correcting them is poorly effective, but promotes further weight gain. Normal body weight, or poor glucose control despite loss of weight, needs to reappraise the diagnosis: diabetes type, intercurrent disease. The cofactors of the "metabolic syndrom" are usually present, so saturated fat has to be reduced, while maintaining fish, fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals. Blood pressure and dyslipidemia may need further counselling about dietary sodium, carbohydrates, cholesterol. When insulin, sulfonylurea or glinids are indicated, the dietary intake of carbohydrates has to be regular to avoid hypoglycemia.