According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 29 million people in the United States have diabetes, up from the previous estimate of 26 million in 2010. Another 86 million adults — more than one in three U.S. adults — have prediabetes and many don't even know it. One in four who has diabetes is not aware he or she has it.

Also highlighted in the report is the economic impact of the diabetes epidemic. In 2012, diabetes and its related complications cost the nation $245 billion in total medical costs and lost work and wages.

The new data reinforces the importance of a lifelong healthful eating plan in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

"The figures released last week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a good reminder of the importance of eating healthfully and getting plenty of physical activity to help prevent and manage serious diseases like diabetes," said registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy President Sonja Connor.

There is no one diet for all people with diabetes. There is, however, a "recipe" for eating healthfully that is similar to recommendations for heart health, cancer prevention and weight management.

To successfully manage diabetes, you need to understand how foods and nutrition affect your body. Both food portions and food choices are important — carbohydrates, fat and protein need to be balanced to ensure blood sugar levels stay as stable as possible.

Here are keys to a healthy eating plan from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

—Eat meals and snacks regularly (at planned times).

—Eat about the same amount of food at each meal or snack.

—Choose healthful foods to support a healthy weight and heart.

—Carbohydrates affect your blood sugar more than protein or fat. As your daily meal plan is designed, portioning out foods high in carbohydrate will help control blood sugar levels.

—The actual amounts of each food group depend on the number of calories you need, which, in turn, depends on your age, sex, size and activity level.

—If you want to count carbohydrates, you need to keep track of the amount of carbohydrates you eat. Your job is to learn the number of carbohydrates in each food measured in grams, then keep to the planned number. Carbohydrate counting gives you wiggle room in terms of making food choices. However, to ensure you eat healthfully, your focus should be on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and low-fat milk. Sweets should be saved as occasional treats.

Q and A

Q: Is it true that eating several small amounts of food throughout the morning could rev up my metabolism and help me lose weight better than eating one breakfast?

A: Despite how often you may hear people say that eating more frequently boosts metabolic rate and increases the calories we burn, well-controlled studies do not show that eating more often promotes weight loss. If you cut your calorie consumption to the same total, the amount of weight you'll lose does not seem to change based on whether you eat those calories all at once or spread throughout the morning in several "mini-breakfasts." Some studies do suggest that compared to eating your whole breakfast at once, the same food choices spread out over a few hours could offer some other health benefits, including a smaller rise in blood sugar and insulin in the hours after eating. But the key question is: Which eating pattern best allows you to consistently include foods that meet your nutritional needs and support overall health, while keeping calories at a level that helps you reach and maintain a healthy weight, sustains your energy, avoids excess hunger and fits into your lifestyle? For some people, spreading eating out over the morning reduces total calorie consumption by avoiding late morning hunger that could prompt them to grab candy or pastries, or to overeat at lunch. However, for other people, spreading out their eating means they are more likely to quickly grab less-healthy options, or provides more occasions to eat portions beyond what is needed to satisfy hunger, with an end result of increasing total calorie consumption. Depending on your habits, either choice can fit with your goal of weight loss, so choose whatever breakfast pattern you can sustain and implement in a way that supports your total health.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Recipe

Here's a recipe for Grilled Lemon Chicken with a Tomato Salad, from Cooking Light magazine, that is perfect for those hot, summer days. It fits into a healthy eating plan for all of us.

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Tomato Salad

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

2 cups baby heirloom tomatoes, halved

1.5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Cooking spray

Combine rind, 2 tablespoons juice and 1 tablespoon oil in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; turn to coat. Let stand 8 minutes. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons juice, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Stir in tomatoes and feta cheese. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Top chicken with tomato mixture. Serves four (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1/2 cup tomato mixture).

Per serving: 314 calories, 38 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 14.1 g fat, 118 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 560 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.