Diabetes Type 1 is a condition that causes high levels of sugar in the blood. Your body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that make insulin, preventing your pancreas from making enough insulin to balance out this sugar. Without insulin, the body is unable to process glucose (sugar) into energy, which can cause complications.
There are many ways to manage diabetes, including by taking insulin and monitoring your blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes type 1, you can use an app to help you stay on top of your blood glucose levels and keep them in check.
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Best Apps For Diabetes Type 1
best apps for diabetes
If you’re living with diabetes, prioritizing your health has never been more important. People with an underlying health condition, including diabetes (whether it’s type 1 or type 2), are at a higher risk for complications from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Research shows that using a diabetes app can improve your health. For example, a review published online in March 2018 in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism combined the results of 16 trials of type 2 diabetes apps and found that, on average, using one led to a 0.57 percent drop in hemoglobin A1C, the average blood sugar levels over the span of three months.
Furthermore, a meta-analysis of 14 randomized, controlled trials that was published in March 2020 in Obesity reveals that apps really can help people with type 2 diabetes lower their body weight and waist circumference.
Lucille Hughes, CDCES, owner of the corporate communications company Creative Teamwork Services, has found that diabetes apps are helpful for her patients. “My patients are more in touch with their diabetes. They’re more engaged with their diabetes, and that’s the ultimate goal,” she says.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana–based Kristen F. Gradney, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agrees: “[They] provide great tracking to help you predict your A1C, and that’s important so you can make real-time changes and improve your outcomes.” Apps can be a good way to share how you’re doing with your healthcare team, too, says Gradney, who specializes in diabetes and is also a senior director of healthcare centers in schools at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health.
The market for diabetes and other health apps has exploded. According to a survey published in April 2019 in Frontiers in Endocrinology, about one-third of people with type 2 diabetes and about half of people with type 1 diabetes said they used apps to manage life with their condition. The survey included 1,052 respondents with type 1 diabetes and 630 people with type 2 diabetes. The authors wrote that these apps were linked with better self-care and improved blood sugar control.
The benefits are clear. But with so many apps available, how can you choose one that is right for you?
Is There Really a New Type of Type 2 Diabetes Patient?
MOST RECENT IN DIABETES
What to Look for When Choosing an App to Manage Diabetes
If you’re newly diagnosed, a CDCES can help you prioritize which areas to focus on and can recommend a simple app for just that purpose, says Hughes. They have access to a website known as Danatech that includes rigorous reviews of diabetes apps, and they can use this resource to help you identify useful options for your individual health.
You’ll also want to consider your overall comfort level with technology. Many apps are rich with features, but for some people, this can feel overwhelming. On the other hand, if you’re the kind of person who loves data and technology, one of the more comprehensive apps might be an ideal way for you to tackle diabetes management.
Many diabetes devices, from glucose meters to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps, come with an integrated app that syncs the device to your phone. These will most likely work well with your devices, and your diabetes educator can show you how they work.
Still, these choices are just the beginning, and there are lots of other options to explore. We’ve listed our top picks for several types of apps, focusing on those that have numerous and consistent good reviews from users and have been updated recently. Many offer similar features, so you may want to download a few and see which is easiest for you to use.
The App Everyone Should Have
Medical ID
Android Rating: 4.6 stars
Free
Sometimes the simplest technology is the most important. “Everyone should use either an app or phone functionality that will provide medical information in the event of an emergency,” Gradney says. The Medical ID app does just that. Create a medical profile that includes any vital information that first responders might need to know to treat you in an emergency situation (e.g., allergies, blood type, medications, medical contacts), and make that information accessible from the lock screen on your phone (you can do this in the app). A medical profile is part of the Health app that comes standard on iPhones (therefore, there’s no rating on the App Store), and it’s simple to set up. If you have an Android device, you’ll have to download it from Google Play.
Apps to Track Food and Exercise
MyFitnessPal
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular health apps around. “[It] offers significant functionality for tracking, so you’re able to locate lots of products with accurate nutrition info,” Gradney says. With MyFitnessPal, you can log many restaurant foods or even use a bar code scanner to quickly look up foods at a store or in your pantry. It also doubles as an exercise tracker, giving you space to log your physical activity and syncing with many exercise-tracking devices. Upgrade to MyFitnessPal Premium and you’ll unlock more features, such as a food analysis tool that reveals which foods rank highest in nutrients you want to keep an eye on and setting calorie goals by meal and workout session. (The current premium subscription price is $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year, but you can try it free for one month.) A similar option is CalorieKing, which is free on Google Play and at the App Store (though it has lower ratings).
Carb Manager
Apple Rating: 4.8
Android Rating: 4.6
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
This app focuses on tracking carbs, as well protein, fat, and calories, with a database of foods and a bar code scanner. You can also log your meals with photos and voice memos. It lets you set and track a weight loss goal, as well as log exercise, though syncing with fitness trackers requires an upgrade to the subscription service. Note that this app includes features for those following a low-carbohydrate diet or the ketogenic diet. Jeniece Ilkowitz, CDCES, a research nurse at New York University Langone Health in New York City, notes that these diets aren’t appropriate for everyone. Therefore, be cautious about taking dietary advice from an app and check with your primary care doctor, endocrinologist, RDN, or CDCES before making changes to your diet.
The free version offers a food diary, macro tracker, calorie counter, weight log (charting both weight loss and body mass index), and exercise tracker, but adding the subscription service allows you to also track blood glucose and insulin values. (The current subscription price is $8.49 per month or $39.99 per year.)
SparkPeople Calorie Tracker (Apple)
Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker (Android)
Apple Rating: 4.6
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: ree, with in-app upgrades available
SparkPeople bills itself as “your personal diet and lifestyle coach,” helping you track small details but also offering a bird’s-eye view of your wellness. You track your data using its food database, bar code scanner, and exercise logs. It will sync with many fitness trackers and has built-in videos with exercise demonstrations, as well as a meal-planning function.
The app calls itself “diet program agnostic,” so you can set your own goals based on the plan you’ve made with your diabetes team. The premium version eliminates ads and gives you access to an email coaching service. (The current premium price is $4.99 per month.)
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