November 09, 2023
More than 37 million people in this country are living with diabetes. They are also at a higher risk of other serious health issues or complications. Plus, health care costs for those with diabetes are more than double the costs compared to people without the condition.
We need to work together to help more individuals living with diabetes or prediabetes make lifestyle changes to manage their diabetes, which then helps improve outcomes, reduce the frequency of hospitalizations and lower medical costs.
The role of nutrition in managing diabetes
For many individuals with diabetes, they must pay close attention to their food choices, read nutrition labels closely and keep carbohydrate levels in check. Along with regular exercise and possibly medication, diet is a key factor in diabetes management. In many cases, incorporating nutrition into a holistic plan for managing this chronic disease can help prevent, manage and even reverse the progression of diabetes, as well as other chronic conditions that can affect a person’s health. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to meet their dietary requirements or they lack access to resources and medical care that can help educate them about properly managing their condition.
Challenges of poor nutrition
A growing number of people do not have consistent access to nutritious food. In looking specifically at aging adults, 1 in 14 adults age 60 and older is food insecure. Poor nutrition is one of the main lifestyle risk factors for chronic conditions like diabetes and is tied to higher health care costs and more visits to the doctor. We must find ways to remove these barriers and help more individuals conveniently access the food they need to manage their condition and improve their overall health and well-being.
Making healthy eating easy and convenient
In my role as Vice President of Government and Healthcare Partnerships with Mom’s Meals®, I’m dedicated to helping find ways to address food insecurity, chronic disease management and prevention, and making better health more accessible with nutritious food through collaboration and innovation on state and national levels.
Options like medically tailored meals that are delivered directly to the home can take the guesswork out of incorporating healthy choices into a daily routine and make nutritious food convenient and accessible. There is a lot of research out there as well as our case studies and pilot programs showing how proper nutrition has decreased health care costs and improved health outcomes when it comes to diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Download these resources to learn more about the role of nutritional support in managing diabetes and how home-delivered meals can be an important part of the solution.
I’m here to help. Please contact me for more information on studies and programs around diabetes and chronic care and how we can work together to make better nutrition more accessible to those who need it most.