Smart wristbands as inexpensive and reliable non-dedicated solution for self-managing type 2 diabetes

The paper presents the results of a pilot investigation we conducted to explore the suitability of non-dedicated smart gadgets for self-management and daily feed-back in type 2 diabetes. Data were collected with a fitness bracelet from a non-insulin dependent male subject aged 67, over a 14-day period. In parallel, the subject self-monitored his blood glucose with a home test strips glucometer, three measurements per day. The bracelet was from the upper scale of FitBit mobile wearables (i.e. Active fitness on professional scale), providing a fair large range of monitoring parameters. We further applied a multi-variable regression model with blood glucose level as the outcome and found reliable evidence regarding the predictive power of the data collected with the wearable gadget, on a daily basis. The novelty is that such affordable devices can be useful tools for a positive, non-invasive, and motivational approach in self-managing the illness.