A management approach to the treatment of diabetes mellitus, which afflicts over 890,000 Saudi citizens, a number expected to rise to over 2.5 million by 2030, was presented recently during the annual meeting of the Saudi Diabetes and Endocrine Association (SDEA). The new approach to the treatment of patients with diabetes, called Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), was presented by Dr. Basem M. Futa, a specialist from Saudi Aramco Hospital and chairman of the SDEA Education Committee. “Medical Nutrition Therapy is the cornerstone of diabetes management, and plays a major role in primary diabetes prevention, diabetes treatment and the prevention of diabetes complications (secondary prevention),” Futa said. He said it is a healthy meal planning program, and that if followed by patients, their families and society, general well-being and health will be obtained. Futa said MNT is a key component of diabetes management. The other regimes in the proper management of diabetes are regular physical activity, education, medication, monitoring and self-care, evaluation and follow up. “The MNT approach will achieve blood glucose goals, maintain normal blood pressure, achieve optimal lipid levels, provide appropriate calories for reasonable body weight, normal growth and development, and pregnancy and lactation, and it will insure adequate nutrition,” Futa said. Patients must consult and coordinate with their doctors and nutritionists in implementing the MNT approach. Dr. Futa, said that the MNT approach, if integrated with the use of insulin and exercise, will help the patient achieve optimal glycemic control and other therapeutic objectives. During the SDEA annual meeting, over 200 volunteers from medical institutions, government agencies, non-government organizations, charitable groups, and members of the media who supported the national campaign in the management and fight against diabetes were honored and given recognition.
