For last week’s practice question, we quizzed participants on What Helps Manage Gastroparesis in Type 1 Diabetes? 80% of respondents chose the best answer. We want to clarify and share this important information, so you can pass it on to people living with diabetes and your colleagues, plus prepare for exam success!
Before we start though, if you don’t want any spoilers and haven’t tried the question yet, you can answer it below: Answer Question
Question: VC has been living with type 1 diabetes for 43 years and was recently diagnosed with gastroparesis. Symptoms have included early satiety, nausea, bloating and intestinal pain. VC has an A1c of 6.7% but is experiencing frequent hypoglycemia. What general nutrition modifications would VC benefit from?
Answer Choices:
- Consume 3 meals per day, at the same time each day.
- Consume soft foods and include protein with meals to prevent hypoglycemia.
- Include small frequent meals, choose soft foods and reduce foods high in fat and fiber.
- Include high fiber foods and increase fluid intake to prevent constipation.
Getting to the Best Answer
Answer 1 is incorrect. 3% chose this answer, “Consume 3 meals per day, at the same time each day.” This approach can be helpful to manage glucose for some individuals with diabetes, however in gastroparesis timing, meal size, type of foods, and food textures are key.
Answer 2 is incorrect. 8% of you chose this answer, “Consume soft foods and include protein with meals to prevent hypoglycemia.” While soft foods and adequate protein is important, this doesn’t address the need to reduce fat and fiber and shift to smaller, more frequent meals.
Answer 3 is correct. About 80% of respondents chose this, “Include small frequent meals, choose soft foods and reduce foods high in fat and fiber.” Small frequent meals can improve rate of motility through the stomach to small intestine, low fat and low fiber whole foods also tend to move more quickly from the stomach (liquid sources may be tolerated better), and soft foods such as well-cooked vegetables to tender proteins may help reduce nausea, bloating and can ease the digestive process. Individual assessment of rate of digestion and insulin administration timing should also be considered to reduce the risk of post-prandial hypoglycemia.
Finally, Answer 4 is incorrect. 7% chose this answer, “Include high fiber foods and increase fluid intake to prevent constipation.” A high fiber diet can often worsen symptoms in gastroparesis by slowing gastric emptying further. Fluids are important, but fiber from whole foods is typically reduced.
We hope you appreciate this week’s rationale! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our Question of the Week and participate in this fun learning activity!
DiabetesEd Training Seminar - Save $75 through July 23rd. Code SDLIVE
Join our expert team for engaging, interactive sessions that bring the ADA Standards of Care to life—covering medications, behavior change, technology, and more. Ideal for CDCES or BC-ADM exam prep, this course also includes a 4-hour Virtual Medical Nutrition Therapy Toolkit and bonus content that also meets CDCES renewal requirements.
Join us live October 22nd – 23rd, 2025!
30+ CEs with Expanded Accreditation!
Program Objectives:
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Describe the current ADA Standards for diagnosis, goals, and person-centered diabetes management across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate insulin pattern management and dosing strategies in clinical scenarios.
- Implement timely screening and risk reduction strategies for microvascular and cardiovascular complications.
- Incorporate behavior change techniques and medical nutrition therapy to support people with diabetes self-management and lifestyle adjustment.
Expert Faculty:
Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, CDCES, BC-ADM, FADCES, FCCPCES
Beverly Thomassian, RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM
Faculty Bios & Disclosures
Our expert team transforms complex diabetes science into clear, practical insights—keeping it real, engaging, and fun!
Program Faculty Disclosures:
Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (Partners) requires every individual in a position to control educational content to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies that have occurred within the past 24 months. Ineligible companies are organizations whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
All relevant financial relationships for anyone with the ability to control the content of this educational activity are listed below and have been mitigated according to Partners policies. Others involved in the planning of this activity have no relevant financial relationships.
Faculy Bios & Disclosures:
Coach Beverly Thomassian RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM – CEO of DiabetesEd ServicesDisclosures:
Beverly Thomassian has no financial disclosures
Bio:
Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, CDCES, BC-ADM, FADCES, FCCPCES
Disclosures:
Dr. Diana Isaacs has the following relevant financial relationships:
- Consultant, advisor, and speaker for Abbot Labratories, Dexcom, Medtronic, Insulet, Lilly, Cequr, Sanofi, and Undermyfork
- Board member at Association for Diabetes Care and Education Specialists
Bio:
Diana Isaacs was awarded 2020 ADCES Diabetes Educator of the Year for her educational platform promoting the use of CGM for people with diabetes and other innovations. She serves in leadership roles for several pharmacies and diabetes organizations. She has numerous diabetes publications and research projects with a focus on medications, CGM and diabetes technology.
For the past three year, Dr. Isaacs has served as a contributing author for the 2023 ADA Standards of Care.
As the Program Coordinator and clinical pharmacist specialist in the Cleveland Clinic Diabetes Center, Dr. Isaacs brings a wealth of clinical knowledge combined with extensive research and speaking experience to this program.
Expanded Accreditation
Activity Start and End Date: 10/22/25 – 10/23/2025
Estimated time to complete the activity: 15 hours and 30 minutes
_____________________________________
Jointly provided by Partners for Advancing Clinical Education and Diabetes Education Services
Joint Accreditation Statement:
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (Partners) and Diabetes Education Services. Partners is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physician Continuing Education:
Partners designates this enduring material for a maximum of 15.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nursing Continuing Professional Development:
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Nursing Continuing Professional Development activity is 15.50 contact hours.
Pharmacy Continuing Education:
Partners designates this continuing education activity for 15.50 contact hour(s) (1.550 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
(Universal Activity Number – JA4008073-9999-25-206-L01-P)
Type of Activity: Application
For Pharmacists: Upon successfully completing the activity evaluation form, transcript information will be sent to the NABP CPE Monitor Service within 4 weeks.
Dietitian Continuing Education:
This program offers 15.50 CPEUs for dietitians.
Interprofessional Continuing Education:
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 15.50 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
For additional information about the accreditation of this activity, please visit https://partnersed.com.
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the certification exam. CBDCE and ADCES do not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES or BC-ADM exams, except for those published by CBDCE & ADCES.
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