Carbohydrate counting is an everyday issue for millions of people in the United States. I am one of those people. In the past year, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes and while all food packages contain a carb count, restaurants are not required to list carbohydrates on their menus. Because of this, every time I go out to eat, I have to research and estimate the number of carbs I’m being served. This can be a lot harder than it sounds when the carbohydrate count is not coming directly from the restaurant and when you receive a wide range of estimates. This can make going out to eat an unenjoyable outing when I can’t find the carb count for what I would like to consume. For example, when searching for the carb count of a side of corn at a steakhouse many sources said that it was eighteen carbs…. for a ⅓ cup of corn.  That was very inaccurate and it caused me to take too much insulin. For those unfamiliar with diabetes, this could’ve caused hypoglycemia which is incredibly dangerous. If low blood sugar is not detected fast enough, seizures can occur and can be fatal. All because a carbohydrate count was inaccurate and too much insulin was given.  I’m only fourteen and the last thing I need is the stress of wondering if I’m counting my carbs correctly or if these sites accurately depict the carbs I consume. 

About 34.2 million Americans suffer from diabetes: type one and type two. Type two diabetics can recover with the right diet and carbohydrate count, so listing the number of carbs in a menu can greatly benefit their road to recovery. Unfortunately, type one diabetics are stuck with calculating their carbs for the rest of their life, which is very frightening and makes us diabetics feel hopeless at times.  A small act like this can ultimately make it a lot easier for people suffering from this illness. It would be a giant weight lifted off our backs knowing that we will be getting the most accurate carb count possible, and knowing that these restaurant chains are thinking about all people, including those with disabilities.

People on diets also tend to keep track of their carbs. One of the most recently popular diets, Keto, revolves around counting carbs as well. The FDA requires many restaurants to list the calories on menus, in hope that the consumers realize just how many calories they’re eating, possibly setting them up to make smarter decisions. This requirement was also in place to help with the obesity rate in the United States. Do you know what else contributes to obesity? Carbohydrate intake. Knowing how many calories you are consuming is good, but it might not always be enough. Carb count is useful, not only to diabetics, but to many different kinds of people.

Even if you don’t realize it, many people that you are close to struggle with this problem every day. It's just simply not talked about because we diabetics have learned to “deal with it”. However, I, and others, strongly believe that we shouldn’t have to just deal with it. This isn’t something small that just a couple hundred or thousand people have to deal with. This is huge and over 30 million Americans have to suffer, and, unfortunately, that number is only growing day by day. My hope is to make the lives of diabetics everywhere easier with this petition. So, please take a moment to sign your name and show your support for diabetics and others all across the United States. Thank you so much! 

Much love, Beth Conover