What if a simple text message could provide an effective solution to help you manage your diabetes? Researchers in China have found that this method can improve blood sugar in not only people with diabetes but also coronary heart disease. (High blood sugar can lead to heart disease, stroke and kidney disease and cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death around the globe.)
How texts might help
Part of the reason scientists chose to test out the text message idea with people with diabetes and coronary heart disease is because both require you to pay attention to your body and stick to healthy lifestyle routines.
Although researchers had tried using text messages in the past, they often failed because they were limited to only one condition. By including people with both diabetes and coronary heart disease this time, the team hoped that the text message program would be more helpful.
The study
More than 500 people from 34 hospitals in China were recruited for the study and split into two groups. Group A received six autogenerated texts each week that focused on:
- controlling glucose levels
- lifestyle advice
- controlling blood pressure
- the importance of taking medications properly and on time
Group B only received two texts each month and all it did was thank them for being part of the study. Group B was considered the control group.
The results
After 6 months, Group A:
- had HbA1c levels decrease 0.2% for the most recent 2 to 3 months. (Group B saw an increase of 0.1%)
- had 69.3% of participants reach their target to get HbA1c levels under 7%. (Group B only had 52.6% reach that target.)
- had no difference in BMI, low density lipoprotein cholesterol or systolic blood pressure (compared to group B).
Why did the texts appear to work?
“Chinese people tend to prefer direct and structured counseling instructions rather than indirect and insight-oriented approaches,” explains Dr. Xiqian Huo from Bejing’s Fuwai Hospital, “so motivational messages were practical, with real-life examples instead of abstract theories.”
