New Guidelines For the Management of Metabolic Disorders

A new, comprehensive set of guidelines, issued jointly by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, and the Obesity Society will help physicians assist their patients with metabolic and endocrine disorders to manage their illness with healthy lifestyle and nutritional changes.

Included in the guidelines are nutritional and lifestyle recommendations for weight management, patients with kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes, those who are breastfeeding, and the geriatric patients. Healthy meal planning takes a central focus in the guidelines, stressing the inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as the importance of macronutrients, micronutrients, and water intake in calorie-controlled plans.

“Chronic diseases demand treatment, but a focus on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies is important as well. Central to this approach is behavior modification to achieve consistent healthy eating and physical activity. Yet, to date there is no evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) to define the standards of care for healthy eating in the management and prevention of metabolic and endocrine disorders,” wrote J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy, MD, PhD, and colleagues.

Along with meal planning, the guidelines stress 150 minutes or more of physical activity a week, and teaching patients ways to avoid sedentary lifestyles, get adequate amounts of sleep, and reduce stress.

The full guidelines are available from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinoloogists.

–Michael Potts

Reference

Gonzalez-Campoy JM, Castorino K, Ebrahim A, Hurley D, et al. CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHY EATING FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE DISEASES IN ADULTS. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. https://www.aace.com/files/clinical-practice-guidelines.pdf