People with diabetes do not have adequate access to dietetic services and this is having a ‘significant impact' on their quality of life, a dietician has warned.

Dieticians are healthcare professionals who are experts in nutrition. When it comes to diabetes, they provide essential information on how to manage the condition.

While the true prevalence of diabetes in Ireland is currently unknown as there is no register for those affected, an estimated 191,000 people are living with the condition.

However, according to Sinead Hanley, a dietician and regional development officer with the charity and support group, Diabetes Ireland, ‘there is currently a crisis in access to dietetic services for diabetes patients'.

‘This is having a significant impact on quality of life and outcomes for children and adults living with diabetes in Ireland and will inevitably lead to increased costs to the health service," she said.

She pointed out that weight loss can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in the first place. In fact, weight loss is ‘the most important predictor of risk reduction, and a weight loss of 5-7% is effective'.

"Each kilogramme of weight loss equates to a 16% reduction in the risk of developing diabetes," she said.

For people who already have diabetes - type 1 or type 2 - dietetic intervention can help them to manage the condition more effectively. It can also reduce the risk of complications such as renal (kidney) disease and pregnancy-related problems.

Ms Hanley emphasised that diet is ‘the cornerstone of care for diabetes in pregnancy'.

"All women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes should be offered preconception counseling, to optimise glycaemic control prior to conception, including individualised dietary advice from a dietician skilled in diabetes and pregnancy," she insisted.

Ms Hanley added that the importance of weight management in reducing diabetes risk and complications cannot be overstated and dieticians ‘are a core member of the team required to deliver structured education programmes for people with diabetes'.

Ms Hanley made her comments in Forum, the Journal of the Irish College of General Practitioners.