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FACT: 50-60% of type 2 diabetes may be preventable by eliminating modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, low vegetable and fruit consumption, and tobacco smoking. (Public Health Ontario)
The technology we have all come to take for granted in our day-to-day life has recently found a new application: harnessing the power of personalized data-driven medicine to improve our health!
Behaviour change works best when it is informed by the best expert of what is good for you – your body. We are all able to tune into what our body is telling us, but today’s technology allows us to eliminate the guesswork. We now have at our fingertips precise information on our resting heart rate, heart rate variability, energy expenditure, and sleep quantity and quality. Using this information empowers individuals to tailor nutrition and lifestyle for maximum benefit.
Frontiers in Endocrinology published a study with results showing a positive association with the use of apps supporting changes in lifestyle and glucose monitoring, for both individuals living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes (Kebede and Pischke, 2019).
So, whether you are someone who has a strong family history of metabolic disease looking to adopt preventative healthy lifestyle habits or are currently engaged in diabetes management, here are three technology tools to support awareness, inform health promoting behaviour change, and optimize blood glucose control.
Nutrition Tracker:
Options: myfitnesspal, Cronometer, Lose It, Carb Manager
Diabetes is defined as a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine. This is why the amount and type of food we consume on a daily basis is a fundamental determinant of health and blood sugar regulation.
By looking beyond calories in and calories out, we gain deeper insights when focusing on the breakdown of key nutritional elements including macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fats), micronutrients (e.g., iron, calcium, magnesium), and fibre intake. This in turn will allow any gaps to be identified and determine which meals, based on blood glucose readings, may be negatively effecting blood sugar metabolism.
Traditional Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose (SMBG) or Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs):
Options: Dexcom, Freestyle Libre, One Touch, Contour Next Ez
At any given point in time, our body is undergoing homeostatic processes to maintain a stable internal environment. When it comes to blood sugar regulation, this translates to the release of insulin from the beta cells of the pancreas to support the removal of sugar out of the bloodstream and into the cells for energy production or storage.
Compared to traditional glucometers that provide a snapshot, CGMs provide in real-time dynamic information which provides insight to current blood glucose status, predictive and overall trends, and total time spent in range. Monitoring blood glucose provides feedback on how nutrition, exercise, and even sleep impacts blood sugar and is most effective when combined with educational programs that guide people living with diabetes on healthy behaviour changes in response to blood glucose levels (Diabetes Canada Guidelines, 2019). These tools provide information but we must interpret and act on that data appropriately.
Fitness/Sleep Wearables:
Options: FitBit, Apple Watch, Whoop, Oura
Wearable technology has grown tremendously within the last few years and provides a vast amount of information including resting heart rate, calories burnt during a workout, sleep quality and quantity that can be tracked over time.
Wearables nudge us to stand up and move when we have been sitting around for too long, celebrate milestones with a little ‘HOORAY!’ when we achieve 10,000 steps, and also allow you to share your data with friends, which is one of the most powerful evidence-based behaviour change techniques!
Technology, Behaviour Change, and Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
When it comes to creating change in the incidence and prevalence of metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, these three tools are powerful to support effective behaviour change in addressing modifiable risk factors. We cannot change what we do not know and the first step is cultivating awareness, understanding where we are, and the steps we need to take to support our health and wellbeing. As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, said “if you get one percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done”.