There are many products in the marketplace that claim to help people with diabetes. You can choose products that support your health goals, as well as the organization fighting for those with diabetes.
The Better Choices for Life program brings the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA's) evidence-based guidelines and perspective directly to you in the store, so you have what you need to make informed choices about the products you purchase.
When you see products with the ADA’s mark on its packaging, you can easily identify those that meet our guidelines. Any claims made by the product related to diabetes management are evaluated to ensure the claims are supported by scientific evidence—so you can feel good about your purchase.
Certain product types are eligible for the program: food products, health- and wellness-related products, and products designed specifically for diabetes management. Note that not all types of foods or products are reviewed—be sure to check the categories we evaluate.
There are tens of thousands of products in a typical grocery store, which can be overwhelming when you are shopping for items that support your health goals. Information on the Nutrition Facts label, like the calorie and fat amounts, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But marketing claims, such as a message saying the product is “diabetes friendly,” are not regulated by the FDA and may not be true. It’s always important to read the list of ingredients and Nutrition Facts label on foods before you buy. But if you’re in a rush, a simple way to see if a product’s claims are true is to look for the ADA’s Better Choices for Life mark. Products that feature this mark have been have been reviewed by the ADA’s nutrition and science experts to ensure they meet specific nutrition qualifications.
You may encounter products in your local pharmacy or grocery store that claim to be especially good for people with diabetes. The truth is products may make claims inferring they are “good” or made for people with diabetes and it can be hard to tell if these claims are backed by real science. Luckily, there’s an easy way that you can know for sure. Products with our Better Choices for Life label have been reviewed by our science and health experts to ensure you can trust the claims they’re making. Learn about the types of products that can earn this label and the criteria we use to determine if the claims they are making are true.
Diabetes care and management tools, treatments, and supplies fill the shelves, both real and virtual—including antibacterial sprays and salves, special bandages, over-the-counter medications, and more. From brand name to generic options, you’ve got plenty of choices when it comes managing diabetes and its complications. Luckily, making sense of the choices and figuring out which products are right for you or your loved one doesn’t have to be a challenge. Just look for products with the Better Choices for Life label on the package and you can breathe easy knowing that their medical claims have been reviewed by our team of diabetes experts. Find more information on the diabetes care products that may carry our label and the standards we use.
These guidelines are not part of the ADA's Standards of Care in Diabetes and were created as internal qualifications designed to inform external and internal partners of the current considerations for program inclusion. These qualifications are based on the currently available science and recommendations.1,2
The Better Choices for Life Program is designed to help people with diabetes make informed choices in the marketplace. The qualifications are intended for people with diabetes. People with additional medical conditions or dietary restrictions should follow the advice of their health care professionals when making choices about foods that fit into their specific meal pattern and products to support their health goals.
Manufacturers participating in the program pay licensing fees to the American Diabetes Association.
With your support, the American Diabetes Association® can continue our lifesaving work to make breakthroughs in research and provide people with the resources they need to fight diabetes.
