How to build a personalised prediabetes action plan with digital tools

Let’s start with…what are digital tools…..according to DiabetesUK they are a growing area of research and new technology for people with diabetes and prediabetes. I’ve broken them down into three categories.

Wearables

Wearable devices, such as sports watches and fitness trackers, play a role in prediabetes and diabetes management. They record physical activity and enable users to see activity trends over the day/week/month. Many also include additional functions such as sleep monitoring, and stress management tools.

Digital therapeutics

Digital Therapeutics are evidence-based, clinically evaluated software programs that deliver therapeutic interventions to people living with chronic conditions. For people with prediabetes they help prevent the move to Type 2 diabetes.

Smartphone apps

There are prediabetes / diabetes specific apps offering a variety of functionalities, including meal logging, medication tracking, carb counting, and educational resources. These apps can help you stay organised, motivated, and informed.

Together these three categories form a set of digital tools to help manage prediabetes. For me, I have a Garmin sports watch to record my physical activity from a daily walk to yoga classes and runs. Then Strava as my fitness tracker app which syncs to my Garmin and gives me an overall view of my physical activity. I wear a Dexcom CGM intermittently (as i have to self fund), to give me clear information on the impact of my food choices and I use PreDiaWell digital therapeutic to pull this information together and be nudged into better food and drink choices in an easily understandable format.

This combination works for me but everyone has unique needs and what suits you might be different. I have tried and failed with food logging apps – too much faff, and I have tried to use Apple Health but became overwhelmed with the amount of data it was giving me.

Pros

● Visibility – Easy to share with friends, family and your prediabetes/diabetes health care team
● Goal Focussed – Your goals are likely to be ones that improve overall health
● Achievement – Sense of achievement as you progress through your goals
● Social inclusion – you are joining with like minded individuals
● Always On – Knowing you are always tracking your behaviours

Cons

● Choice – Too much choice and many are not medically approved.
● Cost – Potential initial purchase and ongoing subscriptions.
● Technology – Requirement for a smartphone, tablet or computer to be able to use the tools.
● User Experience – Usually good but a level of technical confidence may be required.
● Mental overwhelm – The pressure to be constantly ‘switched on’ and analysing the data.

The dictionary definition of a personalised action plan is a tailored roadmap for an individual, outlining specific steps, responsibilities, and timelines to achieve a particular goal. It’s a collaborative document, often developed with guidance from a professional, that helps individuals manage their health, career, or other objectives. We might create ours with guidance from our GP or our diabetes specialist nurse and have our friends and family support us.

Your action plan needs to fit with your preferences, your tech knowledge, your lifestyle, your budget – absolutely working for you. It needs actions you can achieve and you want to achieve. It needs to be personal to you.

I use a term from my corporate life – SMART objectives:
Specific – a reduction in weight
Measurable – Lbs
Achievable – by increasing movement and food choices
Realistic – 1 Lb per week
Timebound – 3 months

The action plan should motivate you, rather than be a cause of stress. Include interim goals and some easy wins, give yourself opportunities to feel good about your achievements.
Goal examples include a weight loss target, an increase in daily physical activity and making better food choices.

It doesn’t need to be fancy, your action plan might be:
● A notebook you write in
● A whiteboard on the kitchen wall
● A spreadsheet you keep on your computer
● A template within an app you load your data into

The landscape of healthcare is undergoing a huge shift, driven by advancements in technology and the growing demand for personalised and accessible care. Prediabetes, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes, requires vigilant attention to lifestyle choices.

Lifestyle interventions play a pivotal role in preventing and managing these conditions, and suit a personalised action plan. The integration of technology into healthcare has introduced a diverse selection of digital tools designed to support you in your journey toward healthier living.

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