How Does A Diabetes Management App Change The Way People Track Their Blood Sugar?

Checking blood sugar might sound simple, but for many people living with diabetes it isn’t always straightforward. Some may only test when they feel unwell, while others may keep readings scattered across notebooks or loose sheets. By the time they meet their doctor, there may be too little information to make sense of what has been happening day to day.

For doctors, this can make it harder to connect the dots between meals, activity, medication, and glucose control. Without enough data, treatment changes may be delayed, and opportunities to improve care can slip by.

To see whether technology could help, researchers conducted a phase-IV observational study across 29 centres in India.¹ They explored whether using the mySugr® mobile app with the Accu-Chek® Instant meter for at least three months could support people in keeping better track of their blood sugar and make it easier for doctors to guide treatment.

The study involved 111 adults with type 2 diabetes. Their average age was 53 years, and most had lived with diabetes for over a decade. Unlike a controlled clinical trial, this real-world study reflected everyday practice — people used the tools as part of their normal routines while researchers observed the outcomes.

What The Study Measured

The study’s main aim was to explore whether combining the mySugr® app with the Accu-Chek® Instant meter could help people manage their diabetes more effectively and respond sooner when action was needed.

Researchers tracked a number of outcomes:

• HbA1c before and after three months — this marker is widely used to reflect average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months.
• Testing frequency, comparing people who checked at least six times per week with those who tested less often.
• Episodes of high and low blood sugar recorded during the period.
• Ease of use, assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS).
• Differences between insulin and non-insulin users.

Data were drawn from both clinic records and the app, and results before and after three months were compared using standard statistical methods.

What Happened After Three Months

Across all participants, HbA1c decreased from 8.8% at the start of the study to 7.5% after three months — a 1.3-point reduction (p<0.0001). For people living with diabetes, this kind of change can matter: large trials such as DCCT and UKPDS have shown that lowering HbA1c is associated with reduced risks of long-term complications, including those affecting nerves and kidneys.³

Two observations stood out:

– More Testing, Bigger Drops

Participants who tested six or more times a week saw HbA1c fall by about 1.6%, while those testing less frequently recorded a 1.1% reduction.

– Insulin Users Improved The Most

Among people on insulin, HbA1c dropped by an average of 1.6 points. Those not using insulin saw a smaller, though still meaningful, 0.8-point decrease. Structured readings may have helped doctors adjust treatment more effectively in the insulin group.

From Random Readings To Clear Patterns

Many people living with diabetes may recognise this: you take a fasting number one day, a post-meal reading another day, but without a way to connect them, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. Without patterns, knowing what to change can become difficult.

The mySugr® app helped address this gap. Every reading from the Accu-Chek® Instant meter synced automatically into the app, which displayed the numbers as straightforward graphs and timelines. This made it easier for both people and their doctors to notice emerging trends — such as differences between mornings and evenings, weekdays and weekends, or before and after meals.

For some patients, it may have been the first time they could look at their own data and make sense of it. For doctors, having a more complete record shifted the conversation. Instead of flipping through scattered notes, they could review weeks of readings in one place, where problem areas stood out quickly and treatment decisions could follow more smoothly.

What People Said About The App

Ease of use was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS), which runs from 0 to 100. In this study, the mySugr® app scored an average of 70 — a figure generally considered above the benchmark for “acceptable.”

Participants shared additional feedback:

• 51% said the app was easy to use.
• 44% felt it helped them feel more confident in managing their diabetes.
• Nearly half indicated they would continue using it after the study ended.

While digital tools are only useful if people keep engaging with them, these responses suggest that many participants found the app practical enough to fit into their daily lives.

Why Timing Matters As Much As Frequency

It’s not just how often you test, the timing of those checks can make a difference, too.

• Fasting readings may give a sense of overnight control.²
• Pre-meal readings can help guide food choices.²
• Post-meal readings often reveal how meals affect blood sugar spikes.²

In the Indian study, when readings were taken at appropriate times and shared promptly through the app, doctors were able to adjust treatment more quickly — whether that meant changing insulin doses, tweaking medications, or giving advice on meals and activity. And because the Accu-Chek® Instant meter meets international accuracy standards (ISO 15197:2013), both patients and doctors could have greater confidence in the numbers before making any changes.

Confidence Through Clarity

For many participants, being able to see patterns in their data may have helped reduce some of the stress of day-to-day diabetes care. A single high reading could often feel less worrying when it could be viewed in the context of overall progress.

The clearer the picture, the easier it can seem to stay consistent. Testing could lead to understanding; understanding could prompt action; and action could support better control. Over time, this kind of cycle may make diabetes feel a little less overwhelming and more manageable.

Key Takeaways For People With Diabetes

This real-world study suggests a few important lessons:

• Patterns May Matter More Than Single Glucose Reading – Trends can help doctors and patients work together on better-informed decisions.
• Frequent Testing Appeared To Lead To Better Results – Participants who checked six or more times a week recorded larger HbA1c reductions.
• Insulin Users Saw The Biggest Gains – More frequent readings may have supported safer and more precise dose adjustments in this group.
• Easy Tools Encouraged Regular Testing – With a System Usability Scale score of 70, many participants reported that the app was simple to use.
• Shared Data Helped Improve Care – When both doctors and patients had access to the same information, decisions could be made more quickly and collaboratively.

Above all, the findings may reinforce the idea that consistent, reliable measurements are the foundation of effective diabetes care.

Looking Ahead

Digital tools are not a replacement for doctors, but they may help make every appointment count for more. Instead of waiting months to uncover issues, having data in near real time can allow for quicker responses and fewer unwelcome surprises along the way.

For people living with diabetes, this could translate into stronger day-to-day control, the potential for fewer complications — as suggested by large trials linking HbA1c reductions to long-term benefits — and a greater sense of involvement in their own care.

References:

1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-025-01768-x

2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17956-blood-sugar-monitoring

2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2622728/

Note to the Reader: This article has been created by HT Brand Studio on behalf of Roche Diabetes Care India Pvt. Ltd. The information provided is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice or endorsement. Please consult a registered medical practitioner for personalized medical advice or before making any decisions regarding your health conditions or treatment options.