Comprehensive Analysis of the Real Lifestyles of T1D Patients for the Purpose of Designing a Personalized Counselor for Prandial Insulin Dosing

Nutrients. 2019 May 23;11(5):1148. doi: 10.3390/nu11051148.

Abstract

Post-prandial hyperglycemia is still a challenging issue in intensified insulin therapy. Data of 35 T1D patients during a four-week period were analyzed: RT-CGM (real time continuous glucose monitoring) record, insulin doses, diet (including meal photos), energy expenditure, and other relevant conditions. Patients made significant errors in carbohydrate counting (in 56% of cooked and 44% of noncooked meals), which resulted in inadequate insulin doses. Subsequently, a mobile application was programmed to provide individualized advice on prandial insulin dose. When using the application, a patient chooses only the type of categorized situation (e.g., meals with other relevant data) without carbohydrates counting. The application significantly improved postprandial glycemia as normoglycemia was reached in 95/105 testing sessions. Other important findings of the study include: A high intake of saturated fat (median: 162% of recommended intake); a low intake of fiber and vitamin C (median: 42% and 37%, respectively, of recommended intake); an increase in overweight/obesity status (according to body fat measurement), especially in women (median of body fat: 30%); and low physical activity (in 16/35 patients). The proposed individualized approach without carbohydrate counting may help reach postprandial normoglycemia but it is necessary to pay attention to the lifestyle habits of T1D patients too.

Keywords: carbohydrate counting; diet; mobile application; obesity; overweight; postprandial glycaemia; prandial insulin bolus; type 1 diabetes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects*
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring
  • Cell Phone*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / diagnosis
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / drug therapy*
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / administration & dosage
  • Drug Dosage Calculations*
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Exercise
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / adverse effects
  • Insulin / administration & dosage*
  • Insulin / adverse effects
  • Insulin Infusion Systems
  • Life Style*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mobile Applications*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Postprandial Period*
  • Proof of Concept Study
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Insulin