Diabetes medical nutrition therapy: practical tips to improve outcomes.

Purpose: To describe the evolving and expanding role of nurse practitioners (NPs) in providing diabetes medical nutrition therapy (MNT) as the United States faces epidemics of diabetes and obesity.

Data sources: Scientific literature and reports from the public health, diabetes, and nutrition fields.

Conclusions: Although clinically effective for both prevention and treatment of diabetes, MNT is often underutilized. The majority of people with diabetes are cared for by primary care providers; the role of NPs as primary care providers is evolving and expanding. NPs are recognized as leaders who creatively adapt to the rapidly changing health care delivery system.

Implications for practice: NPs can serve as role models by presenting accurate, basic nutrition messages, referring patients to registered dietitians for MNT, reinforcing nutrition and the importance of lifestyle change as primary treatments for their disease, and following up on their patients' progress with nutrition interventions.