Eating and Diabetes

What I need to know about

Eating and Diabetes

U.S. Department of

Health and Human

Services

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

What I need to know about

Eating and Diabetes

U.S. Department of

Health and Human

Services

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

Contents 

Eating and Diabetes ........................................................... 1
 

Blood Glucose Levels......................................................... 2
 

Your Diabetes Medicines................................................... 5
 

Your Physical Activity Plan................................................ 6
 

The Diabetes Food Pyramid.............................................. 8
 

Starches ............................................................................. 13
 

Vegetables ......................................................................... 17
 

Fruits.................................................................................. 21
 

Milk.................................................................................... 25
 

Meat and Meat Substitutes.............................................. 29
 

Fats and Sweets................................................................. 33
 

Alcoholic Drinks............................................................... 37
 

Your Meal Plan................................................................. 38
 

Measuring Your Food ...................................................... 40
 

When You’re Sick ............................................................. 42
 

Where can I get more information? ............................... 44
 

Eating and Diabetes 

You can take good care of yourself and your diabetes
 

by learning
 

●	 what to eat 

●	 how much to eat 

●	 when to eat 

Making wise food choices can help you 

●	 feel good every day 

●	 lose weight if you need to 

●	 lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other 

problems caused by diabetes 

Healthful eating helps keep your blood glucose, also 

called blood sugar, in your target range. Physical activity 

and, if needed, diabetes medicines also help. The 

diabetes target range is the blood glucose level suggested 

by diabetes experts for good health. You can help 

prevent health problems by keeping your blood glucose 

levels on target. 

1 
Blood Glucose Levels 

What should my blood glucose levels be? 

Target Blood Glucose Levels 

for People with Diabetes 

Before meals 70 to 130 

1 to 2 hours after the 

start of a meal less than 180 

Talk with your health care provider about your blood 

glucose target levels and write them here: 

My Target Blood Glucose Levels 

Before meals ______ to ______ 

1 to 2 hours after the 

start of a meal less than _______ 

Ask your doctor how often you should check your blood 

glucose on your own. Also ask your doctor for an A1C 

test at least twice a year. Your A1C number gives your 

average blood glucose for the past 3 months. The results 

from your blood glucose checks and your A1C test will 

tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working. 

2 
How can I keep my blood glucose levels on target? 

You can keep your blood glucose levels on target by 

● making wise food choices 

● being physically active 

● taking medicines if needed 

For people taking certain diabetes medicines, following a 

schedule for meals, snacks, and physical activity is best. 

However, some diabetes medicines allow for more 

flexibility. You’ll work with your health care team to 

create a diabetes plan that’s best for you. 

Lunch 

(Morning 

snack) (Afternoon 

snack) 

(Evening Dinner

Breakfast 

snack) 

3 
Talk with your doctor or diabetes teacher about how 

many meals and snacks to eat each day. Fill in the times 

for your meals and snacks on these clocks. 

Breakfast Morning snack 

Lunch Afternoon snack 

Dinner Evening snack 

4 
Your Diabetes Medicines 

What you eat and when you eat affect how your diabetes 

medicines work. Talk with your doctor or diabetes 

teacher about when to take your diabetes medicines. 

Fill in the names of your diabetes medicines, when to 

take them, and how much to take. Draw hands on the 

clocks to show when to take your medicines. 

Name of medicine: _______________ 

Time:______ Meal: ______________ 

How much: _____________________ 

Name of medicine: _______________ 

Time:______ Meal: ______________ 

How much: _____________________ 

Name of medicine: _______________ 

Time:______ Meal: ______________ 

How much: _____________________ 

Name of medicine: _______________ 

Time:______ Meal: ______________ 

How much: _____________________ 

5 
Your Physical Activity Plan 

What you eat and when also depend on how much you 

exercise. Physical activity is an important part of staying 

healthy and controlling your blood glucose. Keep these 

points in mind: 

●	 Talk with your doctor about what types of exercise are 

safe for you. 

●	 Make sure your shoes fit well and your socks stay 

clean and dry. Check your feet for redness or sores 

after exercising. Call your doctor if you have sores 

that do not heal. 

●	 Warm up and stretch for 5 to 10 minutes before you 

exercise. Then cool down for several minutes after you 

exercise. For example, walk slowly at first, stretch, and 

then walk faster. Finish up by walking slowly again. 

●	 Ask your doctor whether you should exercise if your 

blood glucose level is high. 

●	 Ask your doctor whether you should have a snack
 

before you exercise.
 

●	 Know the signs of low blood glucose, also called 

hypoglycemia. Always carry food or glucose tablets 

to treat low blood glucose. 

●	 Always wear your medical identification or other ID. 

●	 Find an exercise buddy. Many people find they are 

more likely to do something active if a friend joins 

them. 

6 
Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) 

Low blood glucose can make you feel shaky, weak, 

confused, irritable, hungry, or tired. You may sweat 

a lot or get a headache. If you have these symptoms, 

check your blood glucose. If it is below 70, have one 

of the following right away: 

●	 3 or 4 glucose tablets 

●	 1 serving of glucose gel—the amount equal to 

15 grams of carbohydrate 

●	 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of any fruit juice 

●	 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of a regular (not diet) 

soft drink 

●	 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk 

●	 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy 

●	 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey 

After 15 minutes, check your blood glucose again. If 

it’s still too low, have another serving. Repeat these 

steps until your blood glucose level is 70 or higher. 

If it will be an hour or more before your next meal, 

have a snack as well. 

7 
The Diabetes Food Pyramid 

Fats and sweets 

Milk 

Vegetables 

Starches 

Meat and meat 

substitutes 

Fruits 

The diabetes food pyramid can help you make wise food 

choices. It divides foods into groups, based on what they 

contain. Eat more from the groups at the bottom of the 

pyramid, and less from the groups at the top. Foods 

from the starches, fruits, vegetables, and milk groups are 

highest in carbohydrate. They affect your blood glucose 

levels the most. See pages 9, 10, and 11 to find out how 

much to eat from each food group. 

8 
How much should I eat each day? 

Have about 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day if you are a 

● small woman who exercises 

●	 small or medium-sized woman who wants to lose 

weight 

● medium-sized woman who does not exercise much 

Choose this many servings from these food groups 

to have 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day: 

6 starches 2 milks 

3 vegetables 4 to 6 ounces meat and meat 

substitutes 

2 fruits up to 3 fats 

Talk with your diabetes teacher about how to make a 

meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily 

routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your 

own plan. 

9 
Have about 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day if you are a
 

● large woman who wants to lose weight 

● small man at a healthy weight 

● medium-sized man who does not exercise much 

● medium-sized or large man who wants to lose weight 

Choose this many servings from these food groups 

to have 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day: 

8 starches 2 milks 

4 vegetables 4 to 6 ounces meat and meat 

substitutes 

3 fruits up to 4 fats 

Talk with your diabetes teacher about how to make a 

meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily 

routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your 

own plan. 

10 
Have about 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day if you are a 

●	 medium-sized or large man who exercises a lot or has 

a physically active job 

● large man at a healthy weight 

●	 medium-sized or large woman who exercises a lot or 

has a physically active job 

Choose this many servings from these food groups 

to have 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day: 

10 starches 2 milks 

4 vegetables 5 to 7 ounces meat and meat 

substitutes 

4 fruits up to 5 fats 

Talk with your diabetes teacher about how to make a 

meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily 

routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your 

own plan. 

11 
Make Your Own Diabetes Food Pyramid 

Each day, I need 

_____ servings of 

fats and sweets 

_____ servings _____ ounces of of milk meat and meat 

substitutes 

_____ servings of 

vegetables _____ servings 

of fruits 

_____ servings of starches 

On pages 38 and 39, you can make your own meal plan. 

Write down how many servings to have at your meals 

and snacks. 

12
 
Starches 

Starches are bread, grains, cereal, pasta, and starchy 

vegetables like corn and potatoes. They provide 

carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Whole grain 

starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, 

minerals, and fiber. 

Eat some starches at each meal. Eating starches is 

healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes. 

Starches 

Examples of starches are 

• bread • potatoes • tortillas 

• pasta • rice • beans 

• corn • crackers • yams 

• pretzels • cereal • lentils 

13 
How much is a serving of starch? 

Examples of 1 serving: 

OR OR OR 

1 slice of 1 small 1/2 cup cooked 1 6-inch 

bread potato cereal or 3/4 cup tortilla 

dry cereal flakes 

Examples of 2 servings: 

+ OR 

1 small 1 small ear 2 slices 

potato of corn of bread 

Examples of 3 servings:
 

1 small 

potato 

1/2 cup 

of peas 

+ OR 

1 cup 

of rice 

1 small 

roll 

+ 

If your plan includes more than one serving at a meal, 

you can choose different starches or have several servings 

of one starch. 

14 
1. How many servings of grains, cereals, pasta, and 

starchy vegetables (starches) do you now eat each 

day? 

I eat _____ starch servings each day. 

2. Go back to page 9, 10, or 11 to check how many 

servings of starches to have each day. 

I will eat _____ starch servings each day. 

3. I will eat this many servings of starches at 

Breakfast _________ Snack ____________ 

Lunch ____________ Snack ____________ 

Dinner ___________ Snack ____________ 

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal 

plan. 

15 
What are healthy ways to eat starches? 

● Buy whole grain breads and cereals. 

●	 Eat fewer fried and high-fat
 

starches such as regular tortilla
 

chips and potato chips, french
 

fries, pastries, or biscuits. Try
 

pretzels, fat-free popcorn,
 

baked tortilla chips or potato chips,
 

baked potatoes, or low-fat muffins.
 

●	 Use low-fat or fat-free plain
 

yogurt or fat-free sour cream
 

instead of regular sour
 

cream on a baked potato.
 

●	 Use mustard instead of
 

mayonnaise on a sandwich.
 

●	 Use low-fat or fat-free substitutes such as low-fat 

mayonnaise or light margarine on bread, rolls, 

or toast. 

●	 Eat cereal with fat-free
 

(skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
 

16 
Vegetables 

Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They 

are low in carbohydrate. 

Vegetables 

Examples of vegetables are 

• lettuce • peppers • celery 

• broccoli • carrots • chilies 

• vegetable juice • green beans • greens 

• spinach • tomatoes • cabbage 

17 
How much is a serving of vegetables? 

Examples of 1 serving: 

OR OR 

1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup salad 

cooked carrots cooked 

green beans 

Examples of 2 servings: 

1/2 cup 

cooked 

carrots 

1 cup 

salad 

+ 

1/2 cup 

vegetable 

juice 

1/2 cup 

cooked 

green beans 

OR
 + 

Examples of 3 servings:
 

1/2 cup 

broccoli 

1 cup 

tomato 

sauce 

+ 

1/2 cup 

cooked 

greens 

1/2 cup cooked 

green beans 

and 1 small 

tomato 

+ OR
 

If your plan includes more than one serving at a meal, 

you can choose several types of vegetables or have two 

or three servings of one vegetable. 

18 
1. How many servings of vegetables do you now eat 

each day? 

I eat _____ vegetable servings each day. 

2. Go back to page 9, 10, or 11 to check how many 

servings of vegetables to have each day. 

I will eat___________vegetable servings each day. 

3. I will eat this many servings of vegetables at 

Breakfast _________ Snack ____________ 

Lunch ____________ Snack ____________ 

Dinner ___________ Snack ____________ 

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal 

plan. 

19 
What are healthy ways to eat vegetables? 

●	 Eat raw and cooked vegetables with
 

little or no fat, sauces, or dressings. 


●	 Try low-fat or fat-free salad dressing
 

on raw vegetables or salads.
 

●	 Steam vegetables using water or
 

low-fat broth.
 

●	 Mix in some chopped onion
 

or garlic.
 

●	 Use a little vinegar or some
 

lemon or lime juice.
 

●	 Add a small piece of lean ham
 

or smoked turkey instead of fat
 

to vegetables when cooking.
 

● Sprinkle with herbs and spices. 

●	 If you do use a small amount of
 

fat, use canola oil, olive oil, or soft
 

margarines (liquid or tub types)
 

instead of fat from meat, butter,
 

or shortening.
 

20 
Fruits 

Fruits provide carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and 

fiber. 

Fruits 

Examples of fruits include 

• apples • bananas • mango 

• fruit juice • raisins • guava 

• strawberries • oranges • papaya 

• dried fruit • watermelon • berries 

• grapefruit • peaches • canned fruit 

21 
How much is a serving of fruit? 

Examples of 1 serving: 

OR OR 

1 small 1/2 cup juice 1/2 grapefruit 

apple 

Examples of 2 servings: 

OR 

1 banana 1/2 cup 

orange juice 

11⁄4 cups 

whole 

strawberries 

+ 

If your plan includes more than one serving at a meal, 

you can choose different types of fruit or have several 

servings of one fruit. 

22 
1. How many servings of fruit do you now eat each 

day? 

I eat _____ fruit servings each day. 

2. Go back to page 9, 10, or 11 to check how many 

servings of fruit to have each day. 

I will eat _____ fruit servings each day. 

3. I will eat this many servings of fruit at 

Breakfast _________ Snack ____________ 

Lunch ____________ Snack ____________ 

Dinner ___________ Snack ____________ 

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal 

plan. 

23 
What are healthy ways to eat fruits? 

●	 Eat fruits raw or cooked, as juice with no sugar 

added, canned in their own juice, or dried. 

●	 Buy smaller pieces of fruit. 

●	 Choose pieces of fruit more often than fruit juice. 

Whole fruit is more filling and has more fiber. 

●	 Save high-sugar and high-fat fruit desserts such as 

peach cobbler or cherry pie for special occasions. 

24 
Milk 

Milk provides carbohydrate, protein, calcium, vitamins, 

and minerals. 

Milk 

25 
How much is a serving of milk? 

Examples of 1 serving: 

OR 

1 cup fat-free or 1 cup fat-free (skim) or 

low-fat yogurt low-fat (1%) milk 

Note: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have four to 

five servings of milk each day. 

26 
1. How many servings of milk do you now have each 

day? 

I have _____ milk servings each day. 

2. Go back to page 9, 10, or 11 to check how many 

servings of milk to have each day. 

I will have ___________ milk servings each day. 

3. I will have this many servings of milk at 

Breakfast _________ Snack ____________ 

Lunch ____________ Snack ____________ 

Dinner ___________ Snack ____________ 

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal 

plan. 

27 
What are healthy ways to have milk? 

●	 Drink fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk. 

●	 Eat low-fat or fat-free fruit yogurt sweetened with a 

low-calorie sweetener. 

●	 Use low-fat plain yogurt as a substitute for
 

sour cream. 


28 
Meat and Meat Substitutes 

The meat and meat substitutes group includes meat, 

poultry, eggs, cheese, fish, and tofu. Eat small amounts 

of some of these foods each day. 

Meat and meat substitutes provide protein, vitamins, and 

minerals. 

Meat and Meat 

Substitutes 

Examples of meat and meat substitutes include
 

• chicken • eggs • cheese 

• beef • peanut butter • pork 

• fish • tofu • lamb 

• canned tuna or • cottage cheese • turkey 

other fish 

29 
How much is a serving of meat and meat 

substitutes? 

Meat and meat substitutes are measured in ounces. 

Here are examples. 

Examples of a 1-ounce serving: 

OR 

1 egg 

2 tablespoons of 

peanut butter 

Example of a 2-ounce serving: 

1 slice (1 ounce) of turkey 


+
 

1 slice (1 ounce) of low-fat cheese
 

Example of a 3-ounce serving:
 

3 ounces of cooked lean 

meat, chicken, or fish* 

*Three ounces of meat (after cooking) is about the size 

of a deck of cards. 

30 
1. How many ounces of meat and meat substitutes 

do you now eat each day? 

I eat _____ ounces of meat and meat substitutes 

each day. 

2. Go back to page 9, 10, or 11 to check how many 

ounces of meat and meat substitutes to have 

each day. 

I will eat _____ ounces of meat and meat 

substitutes each day. 

3. I will eat this many ounces of meat and meat 

substitutes at 

Breakfast _________ Snack ____________ 

Lunch ____________ Snack ____________ 

Dinner ___________ Snack ____________ 

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal 

plan. 

31 
What are healthy ways to eat meat and meat 

substitutes? 

●	 Buy cuts of beef, pork, ham, and lamb that have only 

a little fat on them. Trim off the extra fat. 

●	 Eat chicken or turkey without the skin. 

●	 Cook meat and meat substitutes in low-fat ways: 

• broil 

• grill 

• stir-fry 

• roast 

• steam 

• microwave 

● To add more flavor, use vinegars, 

lemon juice, soy sauce, salsa, 

ketchup, barbecue sauce, herbs, 

and spices. 

● Cook eggs using cooking spray or a 

non-stick pan. 

● Limit the amount of nuts, peanut butter, 

and fried foods you eat. They are high in 

fat. 

● Check food labels. Choose low-fat or 

fat-free cheese. 

32 
Fats and Sweets 

Limit the amount of fats and sweets you eat. Fats and 

sweets are not as nutritious as other foods. Fats have 

a lot of calories. Sweets can be high in carbohydrate 

and fat. Some contain saturated fats, trans fats, and 

cholesterol that increase your risk of heart disease. 

Limiting these foods will help you lose weight and keep 

your blood glucose and blood fats under control. 

Fats and Sweets 

Examples of fats include 

• salad dressing • butter • avocado 

• oil • margarine • olives 

• cream cheese • mayonnaise • bacon 

Examples of sweets include 

• cake • pie • cookies 

• ice cream • syrup • doughnuts 

33 
How much is a serving of sweets? 

Examples of 1 serving: 

OR OR 

1 3-inch 1 plain cake 1 tablespoon 

cookie doughnut maple syrup 

34 
How much is a serving of fat? 

Examples of 1 serving: 

OR 

1 strip of bacon 1 teaspoon oil 

Examples of 2 servings: 

OR 

1 tablespoon 

regular salad 

dressing 

2 tablespoons 

reduced-fat 

salad dressing 

1 tablespoon 

reduced-fat 

mayonnaise 

+ 

35 
How can I satisfy my sweet tooth? 

Try having sugar-free popsicles, 

diet soda, fat-free ice cream or 

frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot 

cocoa mix. 

Other tips: 

●	 Share desserts in restaurants. 

●	 Order small or child-size servings 

of ice cream or frozen yogurt. 

●	 Divide homemade desserts into 

small servings and wrap each 

individually. Freeze 

extra servings. 

Remember, fat-free and low-sugar 

foods still have calories. Talk with 

your diabetes teacher about how to 

fit sweets into your meal plan. 

36 
Alcoholic Drinks 

Alcoholic drinks have calories but no nutrients. If you 

have alcoholic drinks on an empty stomach, they can 

make your blood glucose level go too low. Alcoholic 

drinks also can raise your blood fats. If you want to have 

alcoholic drinks, talk with your doctor or diabetes 

teacher about how much to have. 

37 
___________________________________________ 

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

___________________________________________ 

_ _

_ _

___________________________________________ 

_ __

_ __

_ __

_ __

_ __

_ __

_ __

_ __

Your Meal Plan 

Plan your meals and snacks for one day. Work with your 

diabetes teacher if you need help. 

38
 stfakBrea kSnac h Lunc

Food Group Food How Much 

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

Food Group Food How Much 

____________

____________

________________

________________

_____________ 

_____________ 

Food Group Food How Much 

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_______________

_____________ 

_____________ 

_____________ 

_____________ 

_____________ 

_____________ 

_____________ 

_____________ 
___________________________________________ 

____________

____________

________________

_______________

_______________ 

_ _______________ 

___________________________________________ 

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

_________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

______________ 

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

___________________________________________ 

____________

____________

_________________

________________

______________

_ ______________

Snack Snack Dinner 

Food Group Food How Much 

Food Group Food How Much 

Food Group Food How Much 

39 
Measuring Your Food 

To make sure your food servings are the right size, you 

can use 

● measuring cups 

● measuring spoons 

● a food scale 

Or you can use the guide below. Also, the Nutrition 

Facts label on food packages tells you how much of that 

food is in one serving. 

Guide to Sensible Serving Sizes 

This much is the same as
 

3 ounces 

1 serving of meat, chicken, turkey, 

or fish 

1 cup 

1 serving of 

• cooked vegetables 

• salads 

• casseroles or stews, such as chili 

with beans 

• milk 

40
 
This much is the same as
 

1⁄2 cup 

1 serving of 

• fruit or fruit juice 

• starchy vegetables, such as
 

potatoes or corn
 

• pinto beans and other dried beans 

• rice or noodles 

• cereal 

1 ounce 

1 serving of 

• snack food 

• cheese (1 slice) 

1 tablespoon 

1 serving of 

• salad dressing 

• cream cheese 

1 teaspoon 

1 serving of 

• margarine or butter
 

• oil
 

• mayonnaise 

41 
When You’re Sick 

Take care of yourself when you’re sick. Being sick can 

make your blood glucose go too high. Tips on what to do 

include the following: 

●	 Check your blood glucose level every 4 hours. Write 

down the results. 

●	 Keep taking your diabetes medicines. You need
 

them even if you can’t keep food down.
 

●	 Drink at least one cup (8 ounces) of water or other 

calorie-free, caffeine-free liquid every hour while 

you’re awake. 

●	 If you can’t eat your usual food, try drinking juice or 

eating crackers, popsicles, or soup. 

●	 If you can’t eat at all, drink clear liquids such as 

ginger ale. Eat or drink something with sugar in it 

if you have trouble keeping food down, because 

you still need calories. If you can’t eat enough, 

you increase your risk of low blood glucose, also 

called hypoglycemia. 

42
 
●	 In people with type 1 diabetes, when blood glucose is 

high, the body produces ketones. Ketones can make 

you sick. Test your urine or blood for ketones if 

• your blood glucose is above 240 

• you can’t keep food or liquids down 

●	 Call your health care provider right away if 

• your blood glucose has been above 240 for longer 

than a day 

• you have ketones 

• you feel sleepier than usual 

• you have trouble breathing 

• you can’t think clearly 

• you throw up more than once 

• you’ve had diarrhea for more than 6 hours 

43 
Where can I get more information? 

Diabetes Teachers (nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and 

other health professionals) 

To find a diabetes teacher near you,
 

call the American Association of
 

Diabetes Educators toll-free at
 

1–800–TEAMUP4 (832–6874) or
 

see www.diabeteseducator.org and
 

click on “Find an Educator.”
 

Recognized Diabetes Education Programs (teaching 

programs approved by the American Diabetes 

Association) 

To find a program near you, call the American Diabetes 

Association toll-free at 1–800–DIABETES (342–2383) 

or see www.diabetes.org/education/edustate2.asp on the 

Internet. 

Dietitians 

To find a dietitian near you, call the American Dietetic 

Association’s National Center for Nutrition and 

Dietetics toll-free at 1–800–877–1600 or see 

www.eatright.org and click on “Find a Nutrition 

Professional.” 

44 
National Diabetes
 

Information Clearinghouse
 

1 Information Way 

Bethesda, MD 20892–3560 

Phone: 1–800–860–8747 

Fax: 703–738–4929 

Email: ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov 

Internet: www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov 

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) is a service of 

the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 

(NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under 

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established 

in 1978, the Clearinghouse provides information about diabetes to people 

with diabetes and to their families, health care professionals, and the 

public. The NDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes 

publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about diabetes. 

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both 

NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This booklet was originally 

reviewed by Marion J. Franz, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.D.E., Minneapolis, and 

Carolyn Leontos, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., University of Nevada. 

This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages 

users of this booklet to duplicate and distribute as many copies as 

desired. 

This booklet is also available at www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov. 

This publication may contain information about medications used to 

treat a health condition. When this publication was prepared, the 

NIDDK included the most current information available. Occasionally, 

new information about medication is released. For updates or for 

questions about any medications, please contact the U.S. Food and Drug 

Adminstration at 1–888–INFO–FDA (463–6332), a toll-free call, or visit 

their website at www.fda.gov. Consult your doctor for more information. 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 08–5043

October 2007