We don’t need to reiterate the U.S. and global statistics on obesity, overweight, and diabetes. The numbers are huge, scary, and in a good year, they hold at current levels. We’ve written many times about devices and programs to detect and manage Type 2 diabetes. In 2017, we covered Nemaura Medical‘s sugarBEAT, a reusable patch sensor that continuously monitors blood glucose, taking measurements every five minutes. Nemaura labels the sugarBEAT as non-invasive because no needle is involved, although the user must calibrate the device once each day with a finger pick blood sample. The sugarBEAT measures blood glucose from interstitial fluid just below the skin that is extracted by running an imperceptible electric current across the skin.
Nemaura Medical recently announced the launch of BEATdiabetes and proBEAT. Nemaura’s BEATdiabetes program is a digital weight loss, personalized lifestyle management, and a Type 2 diabetes reversal program that was originally developed at Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center. The proBEAT device is an updated version of the sugarBEAT patch glucose monitor. The proBEAT is a disposable patch that transmits daily glucose profiles to the BEATdiabetes program app.
BEATdiabetes runs on an iOS or Android smartphone. The app employs an avatar named Lena who provides information, insight, suggestions, and coaching. The avatar bases its interactions based on the users’ logged nutrition and exercise notes and on blood glucose data from the proBEAT device. The user can also use the app to access on-demand diabetes specialists for personalized expert advice. According to Nemaura, BEATdiabetes has been clinically proven to reduce HbA1c, weight, BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
BEATdiabetes is currently available only in the U.S., primarily through employer or healthcare insurers. Individuals can subscribe to the BEATdiabetes program based on individual consultation with Nemaura.
Lifestyle coaching and support to help patients hold off, reduce, or prevent T2D based on user input plus biometric wearable-derived data is a very good thing indeed. We’ll update this post when we hear back from Nemaura with clinical evidence.
