Taiwan-based diabetes management app Health2Sync announced that combining Fitbit wearable devices with their Health2Sync Patient Management Platform can help users control and better manage the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), based on the results from their clinical study in Taiwan.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

The study, conducted with four of Taiwan's leading diabetes clinics, yielded some key findings:

• Average glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) decreased 0.33%, while patients who did moderate to high-intensity activity duration of at least 150 mins per week, saw their average HbA1C[2] decrease 0.66%
• Average fasting blood glucose (BG) decreased 10.92 mg/dL
• Average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased 11.55 mg/dL
• Weight reduction of up to 2 kilograms among some patients
• Increased frequency in moderate to high intensity activity to 7.03 times a week among some patients

Conducted over a three-month period ending in July 2020 in conjunction with the Neng-Chun Diabetes Clinic, Yier Clinic, Da-Ya Chang-An Clinic and Banqiao Da-Jun Clinic, the study, with patient consent, lets the patients' doctors track the progress and lifestyle changes of 95 participants with T2DM. Before the start of the study, doctors at the four clinics established benchmarks for all participating patients based on blood glucose tests at the start of the trial, then on a self-monitored weekly basis throughout the study period.

Each participant was given a Fitbit Inspire HR and the participants voluntarily agreed to connect their Fitbit wearable data with the Health2Sync diabetes management app to track their progress throughout the program. Physical activity data generated from each person's Fitbit device was integrated into the Health2Sync app, which housed other health metrics such as patients' HbA1c, BG and cholesterol levels.

THE LARGER TREND

In September 2019, Fitbit and Health2Sync collaborated to allow the integration of Fitbit's health, sleep and fitness wearable data with the Health2Sync app (with user consent) to support Health2Sync's 520,000 users in Japan and Taiwan to better manage their conditions, like Type 2 diabetes, MobiHealthNews reported.

Earlier in September this year, Health2Sync partnered with pharma giant Sanofi with the aim to apply the digital solution provided by Health2Sync in 300 clinics and hospitals nationwide certified by Taiwan Diabetes Shared Care Network over the next three years.

ON THE RECORD

Dr Neng-Chu Yu of Neng-Chun Diabetes Clinic said: “Type 2 diabetes, with the right lifestyle changes – medication adherence, increased activity, and better diet – can lead to major improvements in control of blood glucose levels. The integration of Fitbit data with Health2Sync let me easily view my patients' activities and self-monitored data, enabling me to make necessary suggestions and give guidance to help patients for further improvement.”

“We are thrilled to see such optimistic results in the clinical study. We believe that innovations in Fitbit wearable devices and Fitbit health solutions have a major role to play in the global effort against diabetes – whether it is in reducing the onset of diabetes, or helping patients to better manage their condition – and we look forward to further expanding on our partnership with Fitbit,” said Ed Deng, CEO at Health2Sync.

“The behavioral changes exhibited by study participants reinforces our belief that Fitbit amplifies our intrinsic motivation to adopt healthier habits, which can make all the difference when dealing with a condition like Type 2 diabetes where lifestyle factors play such a big role,” said Steve Morley, Vice President of International Health Solutions & General Manager of Asia Pacific at Fitbit.