Smartphone Apps for Diabetes

Chris Cheyette BSc MSc RDSenior Diabetes Dietitian (Kings College Hospital)

Author Carbs & Cals

Global mobile health market report 2010-2015 http://www.research2guidance.com/shop/index.php/mhealth-report

• More than 100,000 iPhone Apps released on iTunes store

• Over 6000 health /medical related Apps• Largest cohort users is aged 25-44• Can they help behavior change?• Can they improve clinical outcomes?• Can they engage the ‘hard to reach’• Which apps should we recommend?

What makes a good quality app?

• Who is it made by? • Is it evidence based? Has the content been

reviewed?• Does it cross the line to being a medical device?

Draft US FDA guidelines

Rao et al. Journal of diabetes science and technology. 2010;4(4)949-57

• Rao et al evaluated 3 diabetes apps (n=23)• WaveSense Diabetes Manager only app developed by

BG meter company on App store• Examined self-reported ease of use but no clinical

outcomes• Highlighted limitations to apps: require manual entry

of BG results, lack of features to help with calculating insulin based on CHO intake

• Apps need to keep up with developments in BG meters

Diabetes Management

Cost: £1.49Pros: Easy to set up, can reduce dose for exercise, CHO in grams or exchanges, mmol/l or mg/dlCons: No active insulin consideration, no storage of BG levels, no CHO database

Cost: £5.49Pros: Lots of settings, graph, stores results, insulin on board, accounts for alcohol / hypo in last 6hrsCons: Users may find difficult to set up, max of 20 CPs, no carb database, cost

Cost: FreePros: Easy to use for logging BG levels, add doctor appointments / details / medical info, graphCons: No scroll wheels, no dose calculator, no units on graph, no carb database

Cost: FreePros: Integrates with calorie track, forum, graph, log BG, activity, insulin Cons: display, adverts, poor graph display

Cost: £1.99Pros: Easy to use, scroll wheels, graph, time of day averagesCons: no CHO database, no bolus calculator , no log for exercise

Cost: FreePros: CP database, BG diary, links with DAFNE online, iPhone & Android, no scroll wheelCons: No graph, may not be suitable for non DAFNE graduates, no bolus calculator

Cost: £3.99Pros: Unique photographic database of foods, iPhone & Android (Blackberry very soon), growing database including branded foods, set up targets, log exerciseNew features coming very soon include: recipe builder, barcode scanner, diabetes area, bolus advisor, USA database

Cost: FreePros: Large food database, barcode scanner, recipe builder, log exercise Cons: Primarily a weight loss app, ease of use, no diabetes area

Thank You!

chris.cheyette@nhs.netwww.carbsandcals.com