The current discussion on D-NET :

What is the role of mobile technology in improving diabetes care and management in the healthcare systems of low-income countries?The prevalence of diabetes is rapidly increasing worldwide and a large part of this burden falls directly on low-income Countries. Targeting the health care systems of these countries could be a good way to tackle this. Perhaps the focus should be on self-management. Nevertheless, there is a need for new, innovative interventions to solve this pressing issue. Can technology such as mobile phones play a role? For, the next two weeks Josefien van Olmen will be leading this discussion. Share your thoughts with the D-NET community!

We would like to thank Robert H. Lustig who led the discussion on Could sugar be the cause of type 2 diabetes?This was an extremely interesting discussion that raised many important points regarding the use and consumption of sugar. Notably, it was suggested that purified and refined (‘added’) sugar is worse for your health than endogenous (‘natural’) sugar. The idea behind this is that foods consumed with endogenous sugar, such as fruits and vegetables, have the added benefit of fibre. Fibre is beneficial in that it slows down the absorption of sugar in the intestine, which allows more of the sugar to be used by intestinal bacteria for energy and excreted out of the body. On the other hand, since purified sugar is extracted and separated from the rest of the plant, the fibre is completely removed. This means foods with ‘added’ sugars will be absorbed by the intestines at a higher rate leading to spikes in blood glucose concentrations. These large spikes in blood glucose become too difficult for the liver to deal with and it is subsequently converted into fat, which drives insulin resistance in the liver.

Some food products contain fructose in the place of or in addition to glucose. This is concerning as fructose is more potent than glucose. The use of a sugar tax as a preventive measure was also discussed. There are concerns surrounding the efficacy of sugar taxes with public health data suggesting the taxes do not go far enough.

We look forward to connecting with you on D-NET!


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Library resources

 
 

Mobile Phone and Smartphone Technologies for Diabetes Care and Self-Management

Oct 2015

Mobile and smartphone (mHealth) technologies have the potential to improve diabetes care and self-management, but little is known about their effectiveness and how patients, providers, and payers currently interact with them. We conducted a systematic review and found only 20 peerreviewed articles, published since 2010, with robust evidence about the

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Mobile Diabetes Intervention for Glycemic Control

Apr 2016

Of adults with type 2 diabetes, 84% take antihyperglycemic medication. Successful treatment requires active monitoring and medication dose adjustment by health providers. The objective of this study was to determine how a mobile-phone-based coaching system for diabetes management influences physician prescribing behavior. This secondary data analysis is based on a

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Mobile Phone-Based Video Messages for Diabetes Self-Care Support

Mar 2012

Background: This study examined whether mobile phone-based, one-way video messages about diabetes self-care improve hemoglobin A1c (A1C) and self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Methods: This was a 1-year prospective randomized trial with two groups. The active intervention lasted 6 months. The study enrolled 65 people with A1C >8.0% who were established (>6 months)

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Upcoming events

 

10th International Conference and Exhibition on Obesity & Weight Management”

Date of event: Dec 08 - 10, 2016

Organiser: OMICS

Location: Double Tree by Hilton DFW Airport North, Dallas, United States

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