Podcast Episode 096: A Generational Approach to Diabetes (& Low Calorie Sweeteners) – Toby Smithson

“I kept my diabetes a secret for 41 years and wasn’t exactly sure why. But when I took a closer look at different generations – learning styles, what was going on in history at the time, the diets and medications and technology available – I started understanding myself better. I want people with diabetes, and also diabetes educators, to have this important perspective to help better manage diabetes. I also want everyone to have the latest research on the safety of low calorie sweeteners since that can be an important tool for diabetes and weight management.” – Toby Smithson

Today’s show is all about taking a look at diabetes through a generational lens. Everyone managing diabetes has a different perspective and experience and I have the perfect guest – my good friend, Toby Smithson – here to educate us on the differences and the similarities among different generations. This information will help everyone better understand how people can live well with diabetes.

Disclosure: A big thank you to SPLENDA® for sponsoring this episode and supporting the Sound Bites podcast.

Toby Smithson is a registered and licensed dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and holds a Master of Science in Nutrition and Wellness. She combines her professional guidance with her personal experience living with type 1 diabetes for almost 50 years.

Over the past 9 years, Toby has focused her career on helping people with diabetes. In 2010 she founded DiabetesEveryDay.com as an online technical and lifestyle support resource for people with diabetes. She is the author of Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies. She is often sought out as a diabetes expert for online, print and radio interviews.

Toby is a consultant to Heartland Food Products Group, makers of SPLENDA® Sweeteners which includes original SPLENDA® Sweeteners with sucralose and SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweeteners, where she works to promote good science around the safety of low calorie sweeteners. She also is a consultant for the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute and is on the advisory board of Diabetic Living Magazine.

Toby with American Girl (Boy) Doll with Diabetes Kit

Toby believes personally and professionally that there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet for diabetes. There have been some amazing advances in diabetes management since she was diagnosed nearly 50 years ago, and later became a registered dietitian and CDE, including innovations like low calorie sweeteners which have given people living with diabetes more flexibility in their food choices. Low calorie sweeteners, like sucralose found in the original SPLENDA® Sweeteners, have become a valued tool in meal planning to help people across generations manage their diabetes by reducing calories and carbohydrates in the diet. There have been over 100 studies conducted over 20 years showing the safety of sucralose, and the overall body of evidence shows that it does not cause any side effects such as cancer, weight gain or increased appetite for sweet foods. Furthermore, sucralose does not affect gut function, as it is not metabolized in the GI tract.

Tune in to hear about generational differences from the silent generation to Gen Z and everything in between – especially when it comes to diabetes management: lifestyle, diet, medications, technology, learning styles, feelings, and preferences. You’ll also learn about the latest safety research on low calorie sweeteners and how they are useful for diabetes management, weight management and more.

What You’ll Learn from this Episode:

• What differences exist between the generations and how that might affect how they manage their diabetes.
• Why it’s important to understand the framework of the different generations.
• How we can help people with diabetes in our lives by understanding these nuances.
• What piqued Toby’s passion for diabetes education.
• How diabetes management options have changed throughout the last century.
• Why the different generations hold varying mindsets regarding their diabetes management.
• Exactly what you need to know about low calorie sweeteners.

Listen to the Full Episode:

Featured on the Show:

• Blog post: Thankful for Sweetness in Managing Diabetes
• Contact Toby: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
• Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies by Toby Smithson 
• Sound Bites Podcast Episode 060: Diabetes Every Day with Toby Smithson
• Sound Bites Blog Interview: When Personal and Professional Paths Meet with Toby Smithson
• If you’re attending AADE or FNCE you can find Toby here:
  • At AADE on Friday, August 17^th from 3:45-4:45 for a fireside chat with educators who deliver diabetes care with digital health
  • At FNCE on Tuesday, October 23^rd from 8:00-9:30 am for a presentation on A Generational Approach to Counseling People with Diabetes
• SPLENDA® Professional Website
• SPLENDA® on Facebook
• SPLENDA® on Instagram
• SPLENDA® on Twitter
• General SPLENDA® FAQ
• SPLENDA® Living Blog
• SPLENDA® Recipes
• Studies and Science: Studies on sucralose/SPLENDA® and the following areas can be found here.
• Summaries of Recent Scientific Publications Handout
  • • The research and evidence base for the safety and efficacy of nonnutritive sweeteners spans many decades. This bibliography includes relevant publications and is provided by Heartland Food Products Group, the manufacturer of SPLENDA® Sweetener Products.
    • Glycemic impact of non-nutritive sweeteners: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – European Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Nichol et al. (2018)  (Please note: In order to view the entire study you must rent or buy the article. Otherwise, you can view the abstract.)
    • Critical review of the current literature on the safety of sucralose – Food and Chemical Toxicology; Magnuson et al. (2017)
    • Here’s a summary of this paper. 
• SPLENDA® Professional Toolkit Request Page
• Handouts for Patients and Clients
  • Reducing Added Sugars 
  • Weight Management
  • Diabetes
  • Safety
• Product Information
• Debunk the Junk: For tools and resources to explore the truth on low-calorie sweeteners.
• Melissa’s Sound Science Toolkit

The American Association of Diabetes Educators annual meeting is in Baltimore on August 17-20. Register today!

AADE has been engaging peer support community members in programming for nearly 10 years and continues the effort this year by bringing attention to mental health and the value of peer support through these sessions.

August 17^th – Listen and Learn: The Perspectives of a Panel of People with Diabetes

(Anna Norton and Shelby Kinnaird will participate in this panel)

August 18^th – Engaging Friends, Families and More: Barriers and Opportunities

August 19^th – The Educator’s Role in Advocating Peer Support: Why, When and How?

August 20^th – General Session: Peer Support Communities: Improving Mental Health for People with Diabetes. Let’s Talk About It!

Mary de Groot, PhD, will facilitate this panel presentation. Anna Norton, CEO with Diabetes Sisters will be a panel member along with several other healthcare providers.

August 20^th – College Transition Planning for Teens and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

Sound Bites is collaborating with Today’s Dietitian! Stay tuned for updates on the podcast, blog and newsletter!

Save the Date! Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium 2019 is in Scottsdale, Arizona May 19-22!

Music by Dave Birk

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