Nutrition therapy is an essential component of diabetes management regardless of the client’s weight, blood glucose levels, or use of medication. People with diabetes generally have the same nutritional requirements as the general population; therefore, dietary recommendations to promote health and well-being in the general public—love weight if overweight, eat less saturated fat and cholesterol, eat more fiber and less sodium—are also appropriate for people with diabetes. Because coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes, it makes sense that nutrition recommendations issued by the ADA to prevent and treat diabetes are remarkably similar to recommendations put forth by the American Heart Association (AHA) for the primary and secondary prevention of CHD (Chapter 20). Nutrition recommendations for diabetes management are summarized in Table 19.2.