Diabetic intake diary

[jc2820]

Name
Jamie

Describe the problem you'd like to solve
People with diabetes have to keep track of blood-sugar levels, carb intake and insulin intake over time in order for medical professionals to give better recommendations on how to manage diet and medication going forward.

Logging and keeping track of this information day-in, day-out and several times a day can be tedious and inconvenient especially with a busy and varied lifestyle.

There are a few direct blood test/scan to app sync options which fully automate this process, but they are generally only available privately at high cost, and may require constant connection to the body. Some have bulky attachments which may not be considered attractive.

Additionally, although there are already apps out there which tally this kind of info on an entry by entry basis, they can be over-complex or under-specific, with too many fields to fill if in a hurry, and possibly difficult for some users to understand or interact with.

Depending on the way a person stores this information for themselves, it is probably not always possible or easy to get a decent readout of this info to send onwards, or to analyse trends for oneself.

The NHS is currently very stretched, particularly in major cities, and as an ongoing, serious, but rarely 'emergency' illness, diabetes appointments are often less regular than is ideal. Depending on the frequency of appointments or even which doctor or nurse one sees, the feeling of support and impetus to continue measuring levels and sticking to dietary advice can be difficult.

Who are the stakeholders?
People with diabetes
Medical professionals...Doctors and Nurses
Carers or close family/friends of people with diabetes

What is currently being done to solve this problem?
There are already various apps that tally all manner of nutritional information and values, including those specifically for diabetics. There are direct blood monitors which can sync to apps and there are more traditional notepad and pen methods.

Currently the NHS recommends a few different apps but it is really up to the specific person to take care of managing their own recordings in whichever way they find best. No one solution is likely to be perfect for everyone.