Diabetes and health apps: supporting modern diabetes management
Diabetes and health apps can complement clinical care by supporting self-management, facilitating data sharing, enhancing engagement between appointments, and providing insights into behavioural patterns that may influence glycaemic outcomes. When appropriately selected and used, these tools can help people make informed day-to-day decisions and support more personalised diabetes management.
Apps vary considerably in their purpose and features. Some are designed specifically for diabetes management and glucose monitoring, while others focus on food, nutrition, physical activity, or broader metabolic health. An app should complement, rather than replace, advice from a person’s diabetes healthcare team.
Considerations when recommending a diabetes app
When evaluating apps for your clients, consider:
Australian food databases: Apps that incorporate Australian food composition data are more likely to provide nutritional information and carbohydrate estimates relevant to local products and eating patterns.
Units of measurement: Preference should be given to apps that use Australian-standard units, including mmol/L for blood glucose and grams for carbohydrate counting.
Device integration: Apps that synchronise with blood glucose meters, CGM systems, or insulin delivery devices can reduce manual data entry, improve data accuracy, and support more comprehensive glucose monitoring. Check that the specific device and integration are available in Australia.
Data sharing capabilities: Consider whether the app enables secure sharing of reports and glucose data with healthcare providers to support clinical decision-making.
Usability and accessibility: Ease of use, language options, accessibility features, and suitability for different levels of health literacy may influence long-term engagement.
Privacy and security: Apps should have clear privacy policies and appropriate data protection measures to safeguard personal health information. Consider what personal information the app collects, how it is used, and whether it is shared with third parties.
Evidence and purpose: Consider whether the app’s claims are supported by evidence and whether it is intended to support diabetes self-management, nutrition tracking, glucose monitoring, or general health and wellbeing.
Cost and access: Check whether key features require a subscription or paid version and whether the app is compatible with the person’s smartphone and other devices.
The following apps offer features that may be useful for people living with diabetes in Australia. Features, costs, device compatibility, and availability can change over time, so check the app’s current information before downloading.
1. Glucose Buddy Diabetes Tracker
Description: A diabetes management app that allows users to track blood glucose, medication, insulin, HbA1c, weight, meals, and carbohydrate intake.
Features: Blood glucose and insulin logging, weight and HbA1c tracking, trend reports, meal and carbohydrate tracking, educational content, and meal-related insights. It can integrate with Apple Health and compatible Dexcom systems.
Availability: Available on iOS and Android. Some features may require a paid subscription, and device integrations can vary by country.
2. mySugr
Description: A diabetes management app designed to make blood glucose tracking and diabetes data management easier. It can connect with compatible Accu-Chek blood glucose meters for automated data transfer.
Features: Blood glucose logging, meal and carbohydrate tracking, medication and insulin logging, estimated HbA1c, reports, and diabetes management insights. A bolus calculator is available as a Pro feature where supported.
Availability: Available on iOS and Android. Features and device compatibility vary by country and connected device.
3. CalorieKing Australia
Description: An Australian food and nutrition database providing nutritional information, including carbohydrate content, for a wide range of Australian foods and products.
Features: Food and nutrient information, carbohydrate information, barcode scanning, and meal tracking.
Availability: Available on iOS and Android. Check the current app store listing for subscription and feature information.
Australian relevance: The Australian food database is a key feature for people who want nutritional information based on Australian foods and products.
4. Easy Diet Diary
Description: An Australian-developed food and nutrition tracking app that allows users to record meals and monitor nutritional intake, including carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fibre.
Features: Australian food database, meal and nutrient tracking, carbohydrate monitoring, meal planning, and progress tracking.
Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
Australian relevance: Its Australian food database makes it particularly useful when Australian foods and products are being tracked.
5. SNAQ – Diabetes Carb Counting
Description: A carbohydrate-counting and meal-tracking app that uses image recognition and other methods to estimate the nutritional content of meals.
Features: Photo-based food and carbohydrate estimation, barcode and nutrition-label entry, meal tracking, and insights. Depending on the available integration, glucose data can also be connected from compatible diabetes and CGM platforms.
Availability: Available on iOS and Android. Features and integrations may vary by country and subscription.
Important consideration: Estimates generated from photographs are not equivalent to weighing and measuring food and may not always accurately reflect carbohydrate content. Users should be encouraged to check estimates against nutrition labels or other reliable sources where appropriate.
6. ControlMyWeight™
Description: A weight-management and calorie-tracking app that uses the Australian CalorieKing food database and allows users to monitor energy and carbohydrate intake.
Features: Australian food database, calorie and nutrient tracking, including carbohydrate, and weight-management tools.
Availability: Available on iOS. Check the current Australian App Store listing for pricing and supported devices.
Australian relevance: Users can select Australian food data, making it more relevant to Australian foods and products than many international food-tracking databases.
7. MyFitnessPal
Description: A food, nutrition, physical activity, and weight-tracking app with a large food database.
Features: Food and carbohydrate tracking, barcode scanning, meal logging, calorie and nutrient tracking, exercise tracking, and integration with compatible fitness trackers and health platforms. Blood glucose can also be added as a custom measurement through the MyFitnessPal website.
Availability: Available on iOS and Android. Some features require a paid subscription.
Important consideration: Because the food database contains user-submitted entries, the accuracy of individual food entries can vary. Encourage users to check nutrition information against Australian food labels where appropriate.
8. FreeStyle LibreLink
Description: An app that works with compatible FreeStyle Libre sensors to provide continuous glucose monitoring data through a compatible smartphone.
Features: Glucose readings and trends, Time in Range information, glucose reports, and alerts where supported by the compatible sensor. With compatible FreeStyle Libre 2 sensors, glucose readings can be automatically transferred to the app without the need for routine scanning. Data can also be shared with healthcare professionals through compatible reporting platforms.
Availability: Available on compatible iOS and Android devices. Sensor and app compatibility varies by product, smartphone and country.
Important consideration: Users should check the current Abbott Australia information to confirm smartphone, sensor and operating-system compatibility before choosing or changing a device.
9. CONTOUR™DIABETES
Description: A diabetes management app designed to work with compatible CONTOUR™ connected blood glucose meters.
Features: Automatic transfer of blood glucose results from compatible meters, blood glucose logging, meal and activity information, pattern recognition, trends, and reports.
Availability: Available on compatible iOS and Android devices. Device compatibility and available features may vary by country.
Important consideration: Check current Australian product information to confirm compatibility with the person’s specific CONTOUR™ meter and smartphone.
10. Vively
Description: A metabolic health platform that combines continuous glucose monitoring with nutrition, lifestyle, and health insights. Vively is broader than a diabetes-specific management app and is positioned primarily around metabolic health and wellbeing.
Features: CGM-based glucose tracking and insights, meal logging, nutrition information, sleep and activity data, and integration with compatible health and wearable devices. Optional nutrition coaching and support from Australian Accredited Practising Dietitians is also available.
Availability: Available for compatible smartphones and devices in Australia. Access to CGM and coaching services may involve additional costs or subscription arrangements.
Important consideration: Vively should not be considered a replacement for diabetes treatment or clinical care. People living with diabetes should discuss the use and interpretation of CGM data with their healthcare team, particularly when making medication or insulin decisions.
In summary
Diabetes apps can be useful tools for supporting self-management, but the most appropriate app will depend on the individual’s diabetes type, treatment, goals, digital confidence, devices, and preferences.
Before recommending an app, consider whether it is suitable for the person’s needs, whether its information is reliable, how their data will be handled, and whether the features they require are available in Australia.
App features, pricing, privacy policies, device compatibility, and availability can change over time. Always check the current information from the app developer or manufacturer before recommending or downloading an app.