Diabetic Educational Eating Plan

By improving glycemic control, many of the devastating complications of diabetes are to a large extent preventable. The use of a low GI (glycemic index) diet to improve glycemic control is relatively new and untested. However, a low GI diet may be a cost-effective approach to preventing diabetes-related complications. The aim of this proposed 2-year study is to gather pilot data on the feasibility of implementing a nutritionist-delivered low GI intervention, to reduce dietary GI in patients with type 2 diabetes, and to compare it with a nutritionist-delivered standard American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet intervention. Our outcomes are recruitment and retention rates, as well as physiological measures (HbA1c, blood lipids, blood pressure, and body mass index), dietary GI scores and acceptability of the intervention. Primary hypotheses: 1\. Recruitment and retention rates for the low GI intervention will be satisfactory. Secondary hypotheses: 1. Participants in the low GI intervention group will show more favorable changes in physiological measures than participants in the ADA diet group. 2. Participants in the low GI group will be successful in lowering the GI of their diet. 3. Participants will find the intervention acceptable.