The following is a summary of “Lifestyle Intervention With Smartphone App and isCGM for People at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Randomized Trial,” published in the April 2024 issue of Endocrinology by Kitazawa, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to assess the effectiveness of a novel lifestyle intervention program for glycemic control and body weight reduction in individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The program combined lifestyle coaching through a smartphone application with intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring to reduce the burden on healthcare providers.
Participants meeting specific criteria for risk factors, including hemoglobin A1c levels and body mass index (BMI), were recruited for a 12-week randomized unblinded trial. They were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (App) or the control group (C). The primary endpoint was the difference in the time spent within the target blood glucose range (70-140 mg/dL) between the two groups before and after the study period.
The study included 168 participants with a mean age of 48.1 years and a mean BMI of 26.6 kg/m2, with 80.4% being male. Of these, 82 were assigned to the App group and 86 to the C group. After 12 weeks, the App group showed a significant improvement in time spent within the target blood glucose range compared to the C group (-2.6 minutes/day vs. +31.5 minutes/day, P = .03). There were no significant differences in time spent above the range. Still, time spent below the range improved in the App group (+23.5 minutes/day vs -8.9 minutes/day, P = .02). Additionally, BMI was reduced to a greater extent in the App group compared to the C group (-0.26 vs -0.59, P = .017).
The intervention using a smartphone app and intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring led to improved glycemic control, characterized by increased time within the target blood glucose range and decreased time spent below the range. Moreover, participants in the App group experienced significant reductions in BMI, suggesting potential benefits for weight management. Further studies were warranted to evaluate the long-term impact of these interventions on preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes.