Diabetes Course Turns Viral During COVID-19
Dining with Diabetes was the first Nutrition, Health and Safety five-session class offered by KSRE-Douglas County to rapidly transform into an online format during COVID-19. In addition to the five modules focusing on the nutrients needed by making healthy food choices, it went “beyond the kitchen” to discuss eating at restaurants, grocery shopping and planning weekly meals. As shared by a participant, “This class was loaded with new information that I need to know as a diabetic. The recipes were easy to make and so flavorful.”
Many of the recipes and resources are available at https://www.douglas.k-state.edu/health-nutrition/dining-with-diabetes.html .
Since 2005, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled. Type 2 diabetes accounts for over 90% of diabetes cases. Here are the common risk factors:
Are overweight
Are age 45 or older
Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
Are physically active less than 3 times a week
Had diabetes while pregnant or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
Check your risk by taking the American Diabetes Association 60-Second Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test at https://www.diabetes.org/risk-test .
Regardless if you are at risk for diabetes or not, it is smart to learn more about how you can help your body use glucose better by having consistent amounts of carbohydrate-containing foods at regular intervals.
An example of an 1800 calorie meal plan could be the following:
Breakfast: 60 grams carbohydrates
Snack: 15 grams carbohydrates
Lunch: 60 grams carbohydrates
Snack: 15 grams carbohydrates
Dinner: 60 grams carbohydrates
Snack: 15 grams carbohydrates
Read the nutrition facts label of the foods you eat to track how many grams of carbohydrates there are.
In late fall 2020, a brand new state-wide “Dining with Diabetes Virtual Course” will be launched taking this face-to-face signature program series to a virtual format. To learn more about this class offering as it rolls out, contact susanfarley@ksu.edu .
