Question:
From California, USA:
My 12 1/2 year old niece was diagnosed with Type 1 several months ago. I
was talking with her mother and she told me that my niece's blood sugar levels have been
good lately and they have been a little more lenient with her diet, letting
her have some soda pop to drink with sugar in it. I am concerned if this can have some
effect later on or is this okay to do? She is on insulin shots
twice a day, I do not know the amount though.
Answer:
Although your niece's blood glucose levels have been in a good range lately, I would not recommend allowing regular soda pop, if at all possible. A regular soda pop beverage has about 50 grams of carbohydrate (in the form of sugar) which can be about the amount of carbohydrate someone may consume at a meal.
Sugar can be worked into a meal plan, with the help of a dietitian, but regular soda pop is just a very
concentrated source of carbohydrate. I think developing the patterns now that your niece will need to follow the rest of her life is a healthy approach.
MH
Original posting 2 Nov 96
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