Supporting on-going Diabetes Management: The Need for Frequent, Reliable Information, Decision Support and Guidance to Empower People with Diabetes

Abstract

As noted by the World Health Organization (WHO) diabetes is a silent epidemic, and by 2020 there will be a 54% rise in the total number of individuals diagnosed with this disease. Moreover, diabetes is the most prevalent chronic disease globally today. What these figures underscore is that the current approaches to prevention and management of diabetes appear to be flawed and thus not delivering the desired results. While it is well recognized that early detection and proactive management of diabetes is essential, this paper suggests a technology solution to assist a key patient frustration around diet and meal planning; namely a solution that can frequently provide reliable information, decision support and guidance to empower people with type 2 diabetes.