mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Low carbohydrate diets (LCD) have shown efficacy in managing clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Incorporating digital tools into health care provides an adjunct treatment modality, to educate patients and provide clinical support. This study examines the effect of a mobile health (...

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Main Authors: Despina Kolivas, Liz Fraser, Ronald Schweitzer, Peter Brukner, George Moschonis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:npj Metabolic Health and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44324-025-00053-6
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author Despina Kolivas
Liz Fraser
Ronald Schweitzer
Peter Brukner
George Moschonis
author_facet Despina Kolivas
Liz Fraser
Ronald Schweitzer
Peter Brukner
George Moschonis
author_sort Despina Kolivas
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Low carbohydrate diets (LCD) have shown efficacy in managing clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Incorporating digital tools into health care provides an adjunct treatment modality, to educate patients and provide clinical support. This study examines the effect of a mobile health (mHealth) LCD application (app) on glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status, in people with T2D. The study is an online single-arm, pre-post study that recruited people with T2D from around Australia, referred via registered supporting general practitioners (GPs). The intervention (Defeat Diabetes app) provides education and resources on the use of a LCD for ongoing management of T2D. After 3 months, our cohort of 99 participants (mean age 59 ± 11 years, 55 females) showed reduced dietary carbohydrate intake as a proportion of overall energy (−14%kJ/day, 95% CI: −17 to −11). Improvement in the primary outcome HbA1c (−1.0%, 95% CI: −1.3 to −0.7), was associated with reduction in dietary carbohydrate intake. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) improved (−6 mmHg, 95% CI: −10 to −1), while 21 participants reduced their diabetes medication dose with two participants discontinuing all diabetes medication. These findings demonstrate that people with T2D receiving LCD education and resources through the Defeat Diabetes app for 3 months improved their glycaemic profile and SBP despite decreased overall medication usage in almost one third of the study sample prescribed medication at baseline.
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issn 2948-2828
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series npj Metabolic Health and Disease
spelling doaj-art-7cd72a6cfcd040deb630f24795de9efa2025-08-20T02:12:01ZengNature Portfolionpj Metabolic Health and Disease2948-28282025-04-013111010.1038/s44324-025-00053-6mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetesDespina Kolivas0Liz Fraser1Ronald Schweitzer2Peter Brukner3George Moschonis4School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe UniversityWatson General PracticeEast Bentleigh Medical GroupSchool of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe UniversitySchool of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe UniversityAbstract Low carbohydrate diets (LCD) have shown efficacy in managing clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Incorporating digital tools into health care provides an adjunct treatment modality, to educate patients and provide clinical support. This study examines the effect of a mobile health (mHealth) LCD application (app) on glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status, in people with T2D. The study is an online single-arm, pre-post study that recruited people with T2D from around Australia, referred via registered supporting general practitioners (GPs). The intervention (Defeat Diabetes app) provides education and resources on the use of a LCD for ongoing management of T2D. After 3 months, our cohort of 99 participants (mean age 59 ± 11 years, 55 females) showed reduced dietary carbohydrate intake as a proportion of overall energy (−14%kJ/day, 95% CI: −17 to −11). Improvement in the primary outcome HbA1c (−1.0%, 95% CI: −1.3 to −0.7), was associated with reduction in dietary carbohydrate intake. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) improved (−6 mmHg, 95% CI: −10 to −1), while 21 participants reduced their diabetes medication dose with two participants discontinuing all diabetes medication. These findings demonstrate that people with T2D receiving LCD education and resources through the Defeat Diabetes app for 3 months improved their glycaemic profile and SBP despite decreased overall medication usage in almost one third of the study sample prescribed medication at baseline.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44324-025-00053-6
spellingShingle Despina Kolivas
Liz Fraser
Ronald Schweitzer
Peter Brukner
George Moschonis
mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
npj Metabolic Health and Disease
title mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
title_full mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
title_fullStr mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
title_full_unstemmed mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
title_short mHealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile, blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
title_sort mhealth low carbohydrate dietary intervention ameliorates glycaemic profile blood pressure and weight status in people with type 2 diabetes
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44324-025-00053-6
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