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Recommendations Summary

DM: Alcohol Consumption (2015)

Click here to see the explanation of recommendation ratings (Strong, Fair, Weak, Consensus, Insufficient Evidence) and labels (Imperative or Conditional). To see more detail on the evidence from which the following recommendations were drawn, use the hyperlinks in the Supporting Evidence Section below.


  • Recommendation(s)

    DM: Advise and Educate on Alcohol Consumption

    The registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) should advise and educate adults with diabetes that if they choose to drink alcohol, they should do so in moderation (one drink per day or less for adult women and two drinks per day or less for adult men). Alcohol consumption may place adults with diabetes at increased risk for delayed hypoglycemia, especially if using insulin or insulin secretagogues.

    Rating: Weak
    Conditional

    • Risks/Harms of Implementing This Recommendation

      None.

    • Conditions of Application

      The recommendation DM: Advise and Educate on Alcohol Consumption applies to adults with diabetes who choose to drink alcohol.

    • Potential Costs Associated with Application

      Costs of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) sessions and reimbursement vary; however, MNT sessions are essential for improved outcomes.

    • Recommendation Narrative

      From the 2013 American Diabetes Association Nutrition Therapy Recommendations

      • If adults with diabetes choose to drink alcohol, they should be advised to do so in moderation (one drink per day or less for adult women and two drinks per day or less for adult men). Grade E
      • Alcohol consumption may place people with diabetes at increased risk for delayed hypoglycemia, especially if taking insulin or insulin secretagogues. Education and awareness regarding the recognition and management of delayed hypoglycemia is warranted. Grade C
      From the 2015 American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes

      Foundations of Care: Education, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Smoking Cessation, Psychosocial Care and Immunization
      • If adults with diabetes choose to drink alcohol, they should be advised to do so in moderation (no more than one drink per day for adult women and no more than two drinks per day for adult men). Grade C
      • Alcohol consumption may place people with diabetes at an increased risk for delayed hypoglycemia, especially if taking insulin or insulin secretagogues. Education and awareness regarding the recognition and management of delayed hypoglycemia are warranted. Grade B

    • Recommendation Strength Rationale

      • The 2013 American Diabetes Association Nutrition Therapy Recommendations received Grades C and E.
      • The 2015 American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes received Grades B and C.

    • Minority Opinions

      Consensus reached.

  • Supporting Evidence

    The recommendations were created from the evidence analysis on the following questions. To see detail of the evidence analysis, click the blue hyperlinks below (recommendations rated consensus will not have supporting evidence linked).